THE leader of Trowbridge Town Council has labelled a property landlord as being “deluded” by asking for an annual rent of £30,000 for the former Starbucks coffee shop premises.
The drinks chain moved out of the town centre retail unit at 49 Fore Street after closing the doors for the last time on Friday, July 21.
Now the shop unit is being offered to commercial tenants with a yearly rental that many local businesses feel is too high in the current retail climate.
Trowbridge Chamber of Commerce posted a message on local social media saying: “If the landlord is reading this your property looks great after its makeover, but any prospective tenants would struggle to pay even half this rent in the current retail climate, so please reconsider.”
Trowbridge Town Council leader Stewart Palmen said: “Afraid we have another deluded landlord who is likely to have a nicely cleaned up property empty for a long time. There is no way they will gain a lease with that asking price.”
Kez Garner, chairman of Trowbridge Chamber of Commerce, said they and Invest in Trowbridge are talking to several businesses looking to occupy space in the town centre.
She added: “It is just frustrating that there are a number of landlords in prominent positions not realising that the demand is not there. It is frustrating that they are not charging realistic rents.”
Colin Scragg, of commercial property agents Carter Jonas, said the landlord of the former Starbucks coffee shop is a London-based property investor.
“The annual rent was £30,000 when Starbucks took on their lease ten years ago and their lease came to an end.
“This is a fairly realistic rent for this type of property. It is still early days but we have had a couple of enquiries.
“If the council leader wants to be a bit more proactive, he should work to get business rates reduced.”
The Starbucks coffee shop was operated by Southampton-based 23.5 Degrees, Starbucks' first UK franchised business partner.
It is not known why the company decided to quit Trowbridge town centre, although the current retail climate, rent and rates may have been a factor.
The former Starbucks unit occupies a prominent position in Fore Street, where there are several vacant properties that have been on the market for quite a while.
They include the former British Heart Foundation Electrical & Furniture shop at 32 Fore Street, as well as Unit B at 27 Fore Street.
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