INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES are bringing a renewed vibrancy to Bedford town centre, says a local commercial property agent.
The town has bade farewell to major national retailers including Debenhams and Beales. But the independents are thriving in their place.
Kirkby Diamond’s agency department has completed 27 sales and lettings of retail properties in Bedford town centre over the past 12 months and says its future is looking bright.
“It is always the negative stories that tend to dominate people’s attention,” said Nathan George pictured left, Kirkby Diamond’s head of agency and office in Bedford. “Yes, the likes of Debenhams and Beales have left the town leaving large voids, and other national retailers have moved out too but local independent businesses continue to thrive, bringing vibrancy to the town centre.
“We are speaking to new and growing businesses on a weekly basis and Bedford is firmly on their list of locations to trade from.”
The former Bath Store unit in High Street is now home to a wedding retailer and two units in Harpur Street have been taken by a bubble tea operator and a pizza restaurant. Another High Street unit is now a convenience store and units in The Arcade have welcomed beauticians, clothing retailers and recruitment companies.
“It will be interesting to see how the town centre continues to evolve over the next 12 months,” said Mr George.
