Husband and wife team Stewart and Kim Joyce have taken the plunge and opened an antique bath business in Marlborough.

Antique Bathrooms of Ivybridge & Marlborough was set up in Devon in 1991 and the showroom was relocated to Elcot Lane Trading Estate after a change of ownership. The restoration and storage facility have remained in Ivybridge.

The business buys cast iron roll top baths and, following a 12-step process, the tubs are refurbished using traditional methods and the latest products. The process takes around four weeks.

Revived tubs are sold on to plumbers, interior designers, hoteliers, and homeowners looking for an authentic tub for an older home.

Around 15 to 20 baths pass through the firm’s hands every month, and Mr Joyce said: “The baths all date from the late 19th or early 20th century and are English or French in origin.

“The baths are re-enamelled, primed, and polished. The finish colour is the customer’s choice.”

The couple live in Swindon and bought the firm from friends earlier this year.

They chose Marlborough because of the number of period properties in the area and the easy access to London.