New Bedford furniture shop to open in former Wilko store as 5-year lease signed
After laying empty for 22 months, a new retailer is going to breathe new life into Bedford’s former Wilko store.
Furniture Outlet has signed a five-year lease on the 26,000 sq ft ground floor store at High Street.
And according to commercial property consultancy Kirkby Diamond, it’s already in the process of fitting out the store for the sale of furniture and kitchens.
A small section of the shop front has been retained (circa 500 sq ft) and, once planning has been granted for a new shop front, there will be another retail unit to let.
The two upper floors of the three-storey building – vacant since the collapse of the budget homeware chain in 2023 – are expected to be redeveloped for residential use by the new owners.
Nathan George, associate and head of agency for Kirkby Diamond in Bedford, said: “The arrival of Furniture Outlet is a significant boost for Bedford town centre and it’s great to see a large, previously vacant unit being brought back to life. The potential transformation of the rest of the building by the new owners is very exciting.
“The property market for retail units across the town remains active. Most of the demand is still at the smaller end of the size range with the majority of properties being let to local independent retailers. The letting of the former Wilko premises represents a notable exception to that trend and we are always pleased to see larger vacant units being occupied.
“It’s difficult to say whether this is a sign of things to come but we are seeing an increase in confidence across the retail sector and we have already completed on nine retail transactions since January, which is very positive. When the works are completed around St Paul’s Square this will provide an additional lift for that area of the town, and I am pleased to see the council’s efforts to improve the town paying off.”