A private investor has purchased the former Wilko store in Bedford town centre for an undisclosed price.
The 36,900 sq ft property, which is located on the town’s High Street, is arranged over ground, first and second floors. The site offers the potential for existing use, leisure and/or residential redevelopment.
The two upper floors of the building, which has lain vacant since the collapse of the budget homeware chain in 2023, are expected to be redeveloped by the new owners, and there is early interest from a furniture operator in leasing the ground floor space.
Last year, Bedford Borough Council acquired the 75,377 sq ft former Debenhams department store, which also occupies a prominent site in the town centre.
Nathan George, associate and head of agency for Kirkby Diamond in Bedford, which acted on behalf of the private vendor, said: “While the closure of the Wilko store was undoubtedly a blow, the potential transformation of the building in a fantastic high street location by the new owners is very exciting. We really enjoyed dealing with this instruction and are very pleased to see another landmark building sold for redevelopment.
“It follows the sale of the former Debenhams building, which we completed earlier this year, giving the town centre retail sector a double boost moving into the new year. Before long we hope to have a new tenant trading from the ground floor which will be another positive lift for the town.”
