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Business urged to take space at M&S
New local, independent businesses are being invited to take up space in Dorchester’s old M&S building before its transformation into a Premier Inn.
Martin Green, of Independent Dorchester, who owns the Curiosity Centre and Martin Green Interiors, has managed to secure the short term use of the building for between 12 and 18 months, in partnership with the charity U think, and with the support of Dorchester Town Council. He hopes to make it into ten ‘starter’ shops, giving would be new businesses the chance to try trading to see if it will work, without the commitments they may face in another building. And he has written to local builders to ask for their help.
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Martin said: “For a while now I’ve been dismayed about the number of empty shops in
Dorchester town centre and felt something needed to be done to encourage prospective retailers to take the plunge and open a new shop – not something that’s easy to do in the current climate with long leases and significant rents and rates. Now for the exciting bit…
“I’m writing to as many local suppliers as I can to ask if you might be able to donate some supplies/ materials/equipment to help us create these temporary shops.” n Pub chain Whitbread has purchased the former Marks & Spencer store in South Street, Dorchester and plans for a 100-bedroom Premier Inn. The former Marks & Spencer shut in February 2020, much to the dismay of many locals, and has fallen into an increasing state of disrepair, remaining largely unused. Whitbread purchased the site in June 2023 and has begun working up plans for the new hotel.
He has already got a number of businesses on board, and would like to hear from anyone able to help. There will be a process to go through for applying to have one of the ten shops, which will be self contained and available with heavily subsidised rents.. The first shops should be opening by mid to late October.
To offer help or fiind out more, call 07587 046055 or email independent dorchester@gmail.com, or find @independent_ dorchester on Instagram.
Louise Woodruff, Property Acquisitions Manager at Whitbread, said: “We are delighted to have purchased the former Marks & Spencer site on South Street and want to deliver a new hotel of around 100 beds, revitalising this key town centre site.”
