Screwfix opens store inside Exeter student block
A new hardware store has opened inside an Exeter city centre student block. It has filled a unit that has been vacant since the building was completed more than four years ago.
Screwfix has opened its third store in Exeter, adding to its existing branches in Sowton and Marsh Barton. The new branch can be found on Paris Street, in the ground floor shop unit of Central Student Living, which offers 119 rooms for students.
The site was previously home to the Honiton Inn, an historic pub which was the only pre-War building on Paris Street to survive the bombing of Exeter in the Second World War. The pub closed more than 10 years ago and in 2017, planning permission was granted to demolish it and replace it with student accommodation.
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Work to flatten the pub began in July 2018 and work on the student block was completed two years later in July 2020. Property consultants Alder King began advertising the shop unit on the ground floor to potential occupiers soon after.
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In January 2023, the 'to let' signs were still in place and a planning application was submitted to turn the shop unit into another flat. A letter from Alder King, included as part of the application, said it had struggled to find a suitable tenant.
It said: "With consideration to the property, and location specific characteristics, in conjunction with the occupier interest we received to date, and are likely to continue receiving, we do not consider it is likely we will be able to let the property on the lease terms required to make it economically viable for the developer."
Exeter City Council refused the application for another flat, saying the loss of a purpose-built commercial unit "would have detrimental impact on the vitality and viability of the city centre" and the proposed flat would not offer "a good standard of living conditions for future occupiers due to limited outlook as a result of obscure glazing or planting, and privacy issues".
Earlier this month, Screwfix opened a branch in the shop unit. A Facebook post on September 12, which appeared to be from a staff member, announced the news, saying: "New Screwfix - Exeter Paris Street EX1 2JY. et £5 off a £25 or more order in store only using code EXEPS5.
"Open 7am-8pm Mon-Fri, Sat 7am-6pm and Sun 9am-4pm. Come down and see the new Screwfix City store." It is unclear if the discount code is still live.
It is a 'Screwfix City' store, which is a new format for the retailer for branches in or near city centres. The company says it plans to have 20 of these by the end of 2024, and more than 100 in the next few years. The smaller branches stock more than 3,000 products via click and collect and another 31,000 that are available online for next day collection.
Screwfix UK and ROI Managing Director Max Britten said: "Our Screwfix City stores are enabling us to go even further to meet the needs of our customers. We know how busy our customers are, and we understand the challenges they face in cities, such as getting a parking space on the job or having to down tools for an emergency product only to spend time stuck in traffic.
"With our Screwfix City stores, we’ve been able to launch an exciting new format that works in different locations to our traditional stores. We’re planning to open up to 100 over the next few years in London and other cities, providing our customers with the ultimate convenience that keeps them on the job and earning."