Our residential and commercial tenants are drawn from all walks of life and all parts of the world.
We have offices at De Grey House for our small team who look after around 70 commercial premises and 80 residential homes, within a total of 76 properties. Our buildings are homes, businesses and places of work. We don’t manage the activity in our buildings, that is for our tenants!
As people move and businesses evolve there are usually a few vacant properties available, both residential tenancy and commercial units. Occasionally, a building may remain vacant for some time, this is usually because we are preparing schedules of the conservation work required, securing listed building consent and then carrying out the works. We always try to keep vacant property numbers down to a minimum to help ensure our buildings are busy and lived in - as they were always intended to be.
“I’ve lived in my flat for just over two years. Originally from York, I returned after living and working in lots of different places. The lack of straight lines is this historic building is sometimes a love/hate relationship, but it suits my style. I’m close to the city centre and river but it’s peaceful and my studio window looks over Priory Church. I’ve also got some fantastic features.
"Carved on two of the old beams are witches' marks. Possibly dating from around the 16th century, the marks were carved into the wood to ward off evil and I’m happy with that! My grandfather was an author and expert on walking sticks. He found a similar mark on a carved walking stick from Goathland up on the North York Moors.
"The Trust are good landlords, the common areas are always clean and tidy, and the well maintained security lighting is especially appreciated when I come back late at night. A pet portrait artist, I work on commissions from around the world and am in my flat working much of the time, so it’s important to have the right space and I feel lucky to have found it.”
“I have lived in my ground floor apartment for 14 years. I’m just settling back in after a full renovation following significant repairs to the building and it feels like home only better! There are a few Trust houses and flats in St Saviourgate and you really feel part of a community, and that includes the Trust team. Kind and always helpful, I appreciate their founding principles of conserving and sharing these wonderful old buildings for homes and business premises for the people of York.
"My garden is my joy. I love to sit and listen to the Minster bells, having a garden in the centre of York is such a bonus and it’s very special to me. Built around the late 1730s, my visitors always enjoy the historic building, the street itself has a fascinating history that I’m now part of and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”
“Originally living in Bishopthorpe, I joined my successful family firm in my mid-twenties; however, after some years of harsh trading conditions and personal difficulties, finally landing at Ingram House was one of the best things that could have happened to me. I now run my flourishing business from the Old Chapel and live in one of the four apartments of this fantastic old building. With musket ball holes still visible from the English Civil War and the outline of the large stained glass window on the rear brick wall, today, it’s a peaceful retreat within a five minute walk of the bustle of York’s town centre.
“I'm very interested in historic architecture and love this building. The ability to live and run my business from here is unbeatable. I’ve also got the community of the other tenants and the tranquility of the gardens. The Trust is a supportive landlord and we have a good partnership approach. After experiencing more than my fair share of ups and downs I really appreciate what I’ve found.”
“This is my second Trust property and I love the community I have found. Not simply in Morrell Yard, but in the wider city and with the Trust. I’ve lived in my flat for just over nine years and I don’t imagine living anywhere else. I have no need for a car with the city on my doorstep, yet, set back from the road in a private court yard, I can still enjoy leafy tranquility.
"At school history was not my favourite subject, but my home and York have definitely converted me! It’s not everyone that has a medieval well in their front garden and when I step out onto the street, I’m walking in the footsteps of the Romans, drovers and traders that have taken the same road into the heart of York for thousands of years.”
“We found the Conservation Trust by word of mouth and reputation; our daughter lived in a Trust property and was very well looked after.
"I have had 16 happy years in my Trust house. When I show people my home they are envious of the city centre location and setting.”
The York Ghost Merchants, Angus McArthur, Director
“Each York Ghost is handmade in our workshops, combining the best of British materials with the sagacity and resource of generations of Guild craftsmen and women. Our business growth required larger workshop production facilities and infrastructure to support the internet side of the business and 31 St Saviourgate is very close to our existing shop in The Shambles.
“The premises matches our identity and provides for both production and the possibility of exclusive retail potential in one creative hub. It is a stimulating environment; our team can take breaks in the garden and an abundance of new ideas have come forward since we moved here!”
Paul Crewes, CEO
“You can’t beat being on stage, but I love spending time in our unique front of house area; the big windows give us a direct connection to the street, the friendly café, a space to relax, combined with the mix of old and modern architecture.
“I also really like the way the more recent renovations to the main auditorium of York Theatre Royal create a wonderful relationship between audience and performer, making for a better theatrical experience."
Lily Vine, Shazia Tabussom, Owner
“I live in Leeds with my family and chose York for my business because of its year-round tourism. I love my little shop, it’s perfect for me. I like the impact my window display has; drawing customers in from the street and how the history of the building works well with my high quality, Italian leather vintage and modern bags and purses.
“The team at York Conservation Trust are very supportive and always helpful. I hope to grow my business and will definitely look at new, larger premises and opportunities with them.”
York Gin, Emma Godivala, Director
“Discovering Thomas Herbert House and York Conservation Trust was a happy accident for us. We love the building’s quirks and enjoy talking to curious customers about its history, especially with its foundation around the time of the rise in popularity of gin in England - another happy accident!
“We also wanted a city centre presence but didn’t appreciate, early on, just how much the building itself would support our brand. Many customers are delighted to see this iconic building still in use. Meanwhile, the growth of our business means growing the size of our local team and spreading the joy!"
Heima, Maff Punton, Owner
“I really like the big glazing of my traditional hardware shop at 34 Gillygate, where we can have a great display and people can really see the diversity of our stock. With an emphasis on ecological products, good design and quality, our building really lends itself to this and has probably made me more creative and have more fun with signage and shelving, storage and layout, in ways that I may not have considered in a more contemporary space.
“One thing I have learned is that you need to be in an older building a good few months before you know what’s going to work best and happily what we’re doing is working!”
Trinity Church, Reverend Matthew Roberts
“A Presbyterian Minister, I’ve been in York since 2009 and welcoming our Trinity Church congregation to St. Anthony’s Hall since 2016. The wonderful hall, with its timbered roof, has a great atmosphere, arcing over 150-170 people for our services.
“The Hall is also used for toddler and youth groups throughout the week, together with theology training, weddings and meetings. You do feel part of York’s past, yet, very much in the present, serving, as we do, coffee from a table used by James I and our comings and goings watched by aged carved wooden angels. It’s impossible to find a straight line in the building, but it is alive and loved, and we’re delighted to share this beautiful space with worshipers and visitors every day."
Chinese Laundry, Alfie Appleton, Owner
“As soon as we saw Wealden Hall at 51 Goodramgate we were really keen to get it and pitched to run our vintage clothes shop against a queue of other businesses. We love its Tardis-like feel, from the attractive frontage to the unexpected high ceilings, beams and tall widows inside. Let’s face it, how many people run their business from a 16th century hall?
“We work with the building to create real impact and a great shopping experience with plenty of stock, displays and lighting and in summer we open up a connecting courtyard to another Conservation Trust tenant, a neighbouring record shop, that complements our brand. We feel the York Conservation Trust aren’t just about the rent and the building, they support us as business owners too.”
Pictured: Leo, Manager of York Chinese Laundry
If you are looking for business premises in York, discover our commercial properties.
If you are interested in living in York, have a look at our residential buildings.
Come and stay with us. Enjoy a York city break, choose from our current guest apartments in York’s historic city centre.
We also offer meeting room hire in our well appointed historic offices at De Grey House.
