Swindon Morrisons: Abandoned Regent Circus store 'under offer'

Morrisons, one of the biggest units in Regent Circus, permanently closed on Sunday, November 3, 2019, despite efforts to keep the store open which included a petition signed by more than 1,000 people.

It has stood dormant for almost four years since, with Morrisons paying close to £1,000,000 annually to the complex’s owners to lease the property.

The tenure term is 25 years which began on October 13, 2014, with a tenant break option effective from October 13, 2034, on six months’ notice.

Morrisons when still open at the Regent Circus location.

However, the unit is currently “under offer”, the Adver can reveal.

The information has been uncovered in letters between Harris Lamb Property Consultancy and Swindon Borough Council regarding a planning application to redevelop the fire-damaged Madison Hotel.

Developer Paloma II (Industrial) I LLP applied last year to redevelop the former hotel, near White Hart roundabout, with three scenarios including a Homebase with a garden centre and drive-thru Costa Coffee shop.

In correspondence, it appears that SBC had suggested other several sites around the town for the potential Homebase to move into which included the former Morrisons store at Regent Circus.

The blaze at the Madison Hotel in 2016. (Image: Dave Cox)

A letter from Harris Lamb’s senior planner Ed Simcox to SBC dated April 11, and publicly accessible via the local authority’s planning portal, confirmed that the unit is not suitable for their plans as it is under offer.

“The former Morrisons site at Regent Circus is currently under offer and is therefore not available,” said Mr Simcox.

The Morrisons unit was deemed not an option back in the winter of 2022 either, with an older letter from Mr Simcox to SBC in December listing the issues with the site.

The Morrisons site was proposed as a potential location for Homebase to move in.

This included the car park being limited to a two to three hours, which was deemed “likely to be unattractive for potential occupiers”.

Mr Simcox went on to suggest that the unit was significantly larger than what was required for the DIY store and that the floorspace doesn’t lend itself to such a shop.

The high lease also was mentioned with Harris Lamb stating that the expected rent and service charges were significantly above the rates that Homebase would consider to be feasible.

“Regent Circus is more of a leisure destination than a retail one, the proposed Morrisons’ premises is not feasible or appropriate for the proposed use,” concluded Mr Simcox.

However despite the claim made in public documents. The firm marketing the site, Colliers, would not confirm or deny any details about the potential deal.

Neither the owners, Aberdeen Standard, nor Swindon Borough Council would be drawn either on any details of the offer.

Aberdeen Standard bought the flagship shopping and entertainment development in the heart of Swindon in 2014 for £40m.

This was said to be nearly £8m over the initial asking price of £32.8m, with the site opening in 2015.

But six years later and they were already looking to cut their losses and put it back on the market for just £24m.

Its brochure at the time listed the Morrisons supermarket as still being a tenant, although it says the chain was looking to leave – which it did in November.

It said there were negotiations to find another food store – “a major national discount food retailer” – to take on at least 50 per cent of the unit.

But that didn't come to pass, with the supermarket units still shuttered.