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A nonagenarian has taken a trip back in time by revisiting his old workplace.
Ron Sutton, 96, from Brabourne was invited to tour the Coachworks leisure and food hub in Ashford 's Dover Place alongside his wife and family.
Having been opened last summer , the unique hang-out spot was built in footprint of the former Croford Coachbuilders workshop - a business which built and maintained carriages and wagons.
Mr Sutton worked there as a manager for 34 years and recently got a guided tour throughout the council-owned site.
Ron, his wife Carolyn and other family members were invited along by architect Carl Turner, who was commissioned by the council to transform the disused industrial buildings into a food and drink destination, events space and business hub for the creative sector.
Ashford born-and-bred, Ron said: "It’s fantastic, I can’t believe how it’s changed since I worked here. When I started in 1955 it was Crouches and then it became Croford in 1962. It was always a very busy, noisy place.
“In the early days we mainly built wood panelled vehicles but by the time I retired in 1989 it was all metal. Exactly where I am now I remember we built a three tiered cattle truck – cows on the bottom level, pigs in the middle and sheep on the top deck.
“It’s lovely to see inside the old place again. The buildings themselves haven’t changed that much but it’s great to see that it’s being put to a new use.”
Telling stories of the old days to Mr Turner, who accompanied the tour group, Ron also noted that his lifelong passion has been carpentry, and his hobby is building large models out of matchsticks which he once exhibited at his local parish church.
