Rebirth of Plymouth’s secondary retail space Mutley Plain as companies eye up buildings
It was once a wealthy shopping district before the retail downturn hit it, but now Plymouth’s Mutley Plain is being reinvented, with new and unusual shops arriving and more on the way.
A number of new real estate transactions have helped change the level that has benefited from improvements, including the removal of unsightly public toilets in 2019 and the introduction of free parking at nearby Mutley Barracks.
The popular all-day brunch and bakery meeting point Early Bird opened shortly afterwards and since then other new additions have been made, including the Yoga Blend Yoga and Pilates Studio, the Buddhist Kadampa Meditation Center and the Bulletproof Brewing Tap House.
Other new businesses are watching the area, and Gavin Sagar, agency appraiser at Stratton Creber Commercial (SCC) real estate consultancy, has recently completed a large number of sales and rentals that are spurring the revitalization of the popular route.
Gavin Sagar, an expert at Stratton Creber Commercial real estate consultancy
As a result, the “secondary retail space” is thriving with very few empty units, despite the national trend that is causing urban centers to be littered with empty shops.
Mr. Sagar said, “We have always been active in Mutley, especially since our office is just a stone’s throw away in North Hill. We are therefore particularly pleased about the high demand for this area.
“It’s really exciting to see new independent retail businesses emerge as people reevaluate their post-pandemic lives and start the businesses they’ve dreamed of.”
Recently, the former McColl’s supermarket was bought by the independent delicatessen and grocery store Pickle Deli and Market, while the space previously used by Lloyds Bank was sold to a private investor and will soon open as a rum distillery called Mutley Distilleries. The former Boomerangs Bar at the end of the level in the city center is now the new Shawarma Turkish restaurant.
The new Turkish Shawarma restaurant on Mutley Plain in Plymouth
The independent deli and grocery store Pickle Deli and Market has opened in Plymouth’s Mutley Plain
Leases have now been completed at number 29, a second hand furniture store number 77, the Young Plymouth charity number 95, Moo Music soft play café and number 99 to DC Lane Estate Agents.
On the opposite side of the level, number 34 has been rented to the professional printing studio The Printery. While GG’s former hair and beauty salon on the corner of Houndiscombe Road is now on sale, a newly renovated retail unit at 19 Mutley Plain is on the market for the property at £ 130,000 asking price. The shop can also be rented exclusively for £ 16,000 per year.
Business Live’s South West Business Reporter is William Telford. William has over a decade of experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and the South West. It is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
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Flexible rental terms are available at 68 Mutley Plain, a prominent, gated store. The retail space is approximately 1,200 m² and the asking rent is £ 14,000 per year, exclusive.
According to Plymouth artist and historian Chris Robinson, Mutley used to be the only main route out of Plymouth that didn’t cross water. As such, it became a popular meeting place.
Mentioned in the Domesday Book as “Modlei”, today’s Mutley Plain is essentially Victorian. The area is popular with both students and families and has a wide variety of fast food restaurants, supermarkets, independent retailers, real estate agencies and pubs.
With offices in Plymouth, Truro and Exeter, SCC is recognized as the most active commercial real estate agent in Devon, an accolade it has held for 11 consecutive years. The Most Active Agent Award for Devon was presented by EGi, the online arm of the leading industry magazine Estates Gazette.
