CALLS have been made for Morrisons to give up the £1m a year lease on its empty Regent Circus store.

The supermarket in the town centre has now been closed for exactly two years.
But the chain is still paying a seven-figure sum every year to lease the unit from the owners of the complex.

Now the former council cabinet member for the area, Dale Heenan, wants Morrisons to give up the lease to prevent the empty unit, which has graffiti spread on its hoardings, from becoming a blight on the town.

Coun Heenan has written to Morrisons chief executive David Potts, following the sale of the supermarket chain to American private equity firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice for £7bn at the end of October.

His letter stated: “I want to ensure this empty building is on someone’s radar.

“The store is reported to have a further 12 years on its lease and Morrisons is rumoured to be continuing to pay the £1 million per year and business rates with no income generated.”

After the double blow of Morrisons closing its store and the lockdowns over the last 18 months, Coun Heenan says the owner, UK Commercial Property Trust, is working to revitalise the centre which was built less than 10 years ago. Two new venues, Funky Grilla and Boom Battle Bar, have recently opened and the unit vacated by Prezzo shows a sign saying pizza chain Dough & Co and its offshoot Burger Amour will open in December.

Coun Heenan added: “The fear of many is that this building will remain empty and potentially blight the area for decades to come.”

He said residents have put forward many ideas for the building, from hosting a new indoor market to housing an art gallery, but adds none are possible while the situation continues. He continued: “There are no options available for the council to intervene.

In conclusion he says: “If no break clause is available, please find a way for Morrisons to surrender the lease or work with other businesses and the community and sublet; if not to reduce the company’s costs and liabilities, then at least to bring the empty building back into use for the good of the town.”

A spokesman for Morrisons said the company, which runs two other stores in Swindon, is not able to comment on Coun Heenan’s plea.