City Centre Retail

Both shopfronts clash badly with the rest of the building and look a real mess, but at least there is now some consistency between the two shop units. Better to have Poundworld than an empty shop too...

Wonder what is so unattractive about the former Gap unit opposite? Apart from the rent...

JD have decided to open a Millets store in the Bank unit on Queen Street

The on-off Morrisons Local at 52-54 St Mary St is back on again by the looks of the planning apps today;

Advertisement Expected Decision DEL
31/03/2015 Ward: CATHAYS
James Fenton
Mr Kettlewell Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC, Property & Development Division, Hilmore House, Gain Lane Orme Ltd, Orme Ltd, 2 Farm Road, Street, Somerset, BA16 0BJ
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52-54 ST MARY STREET, CITY CENTRE, CARDIFF, CF10 1FE

High and Mighty are having a closing down sale in High Street. Opposite the road from them it looks like another tattoo/piercing/barbers is opening.

For the first time in a while I walked down the full length of Queen Street the other day and was really struck how shabby and run down it feels between the Friary and the Castle. Really sad.

The other street that's really on its uppers is Church Street - the number of To Let boards and closed units is shocking.

St David's has sucked the life out of the rest of the city centre, or so it feels.

The castle end of Queen Street would benefit from having A3 restaurant or A4 bar units, it's proximity to the castle makes it a prime tourist area and the large shop units such as the former Gap aren't shifting when there are more prime units available in the Grand Arcade (which aren't really shifting either!).

I don't know what's going on on Church Street but some on here think there's something if the offing. One unit has just been let to that Bath based pizza restaurant which is a start.

The issue with Church Street is the 1970's red brick building. It has 3 ground floor units which are all empty. I don't know if the basment unit which is now occupied by a strip joint (used to be Buzz back in the day) is part of the building.

Clearly the owners of that building will have to consider what to do. Either drop rents significantly and hope for new tenants or redevelop. Church st has a fairly vibrant restaurant/bar scene now with Cafe Citta, Applejacks, 10 feet tall, Old Arcade, erm Greggs plus the Owain, Market Tavern etc just around the corner. A3 seems to me to be about the only option available. I don't think residential or office space is feasible and retail would stretch it a bit. If they redevelop they could reconfigure the ground floor to make the units more adaptable for A3 use but it would be quite an undertaking.

Here is an advert for the unit occupied by Applejacks that gives an indication of the rents that can be had in that area

http://www.ejhales.co.uk/Resource/1936. ... wnload.pdf

If you redevelop into 3 units with 50 to 60k per annum rent you are looking at 150-200k rent per annum. How much would it cost to redevelop that building? Would it be worth it given the rental yield? I suppose thats the analysis the owner will have to undertake. I'd like to see the building knocked down and replaced with something befitting it's location but realistically I can't see that happening because the rental income wouldn't support a project that is likely to cost several million.

Looks like Pavilion is closing down now. Another independent bites the dust.

Yes, Pavilion is closing at the end of July.