Store available - for one year only

A former Shrewsbury DIY store which has been left empty for almost six months could soon be leased out to another retailer – but only for the next year.

The old B&Q store in Brixton Way, Harlescott, closed at the end of January as the company left its lease early to move to a new purpose-built £18 million store in nearby Featherbed Lane.

The decision led to the creation of 60 jobs, with 35 staff moving across from the old store.

But finding an occupier for the remainder of the lease of the Brixton Way site has proved difficult, with no-one yet to lodge a bid.

Charlie Greenhaugh, from estate agency Savills which is co-letting the property with Gilbert Bath Chartered Surveyors, said B&Q only had a year remaining on the lease before the responsibility for marketing the site was passed back to the owners.

He said: "There has been one or two inquiries, but nothing that has come to fruition as yet unfortunately.

"I suppose it would be considered short term, but as soon as B&Q's lease comes to the end it is back to the landlord at that stage and we have no control beyond anything at the end of the lease.

"We are just trying to find an occupier for the remainder of B&Q's term."

Mr Greenhaugh said full details about the property were due to be put on B&Q's property website, which covers all of the company's acquisitions and disposals.

The new store opened at the end of January.