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Former Johnston Carmichael headquarters in Elgin sells for FIVE TIMES the guide price at auction

The town centre building has lain empty since Johnston Carmichael moved out and into Elgin Business Park.

Commerce House has now been sold at auction.
Commerce House has now been sold at auction.

The former Johnston Carmichael headquarters in Elgin town centre has been sold at auction.

Commerce House on South Street has been empty for a few months.

The traditionally-built three-storey office block had been owned by Glasgow-based firm Macadam Leisure Limited.

But it went up for auction last week – and was snapped up by keen new owners.

Commerce House.

Since 1994, accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael had operated in the building.

A few months ago, the company left the building for a new state-of-the-art office space at site 14A at the Elgin Business Park next to the A96.

Our coverage about their departure. Image: Clarke Cooper/DC Thomson

Elgin office head and business advisory partner Scott Dunbar previously said the opportunity to relocate to a new purpose-built base at Elgin Business Park designed to meet their needs was attractive.

They also looked at offices to remain in the Elgin town centre before making the decision, but those weren’t suitable.

How much did Johnston Carmichael sell for at auction?

Auctioneers Acuitus promoted the building as a “potential redevelopment opportunity.”

The sale brochures states the property is located in a “prominent position close to the A96”.

The property also has parking spaces – a topic that is under discussion a lot in Elgin.

The building – split between two blocks – has a basement, ground, first and second floors.

Commerce House on Elgin’s South Street is up for auction.

On auction day, it had what seemed, to the laymen, like a modest guide price of £100,000.

But whatever went on in the sale, we can now reveal that the South Street building went for a whopping £500,000.

It is not known who has bought the building at auction or what their intentions are with it.

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