'Challenging environment' blamed for Swindon retail complex store closures

The £50m Regent Circus complex in Swindon opened in October 2014

The owner of a leisure and shopping complex has blamed a "challenging retail environment" for the closure of three businesses within five years.

The £50m Regent Circus complex in Swindon opened in October 2014 on the site of a derelict college building.

Supermarket chain Morrisons is the latest firm to confirm it will close its store in the complex next month.

Regent Circus owners UK Commercial Property Trust (UKCPT) said it is "disappointed" at the closure.

The complex has struggled to fill restaurant units since it opened, and Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Tiffins Indian buffet closed earlier in the year.

Morrisons, which employs 113 staff at Regent Circus, told the BBC it had "looked at a wide range of options to keep the store open but none gave us confidence that we could run it successfully".

'Advancing negotiations'

A UKCPT spokeswoman said: "While the 15-year lease we have with Morrisons remains in place, we are obviously disappointed that they have made the decision to close the store.

"The challenging retail environment is well documented and we have every sympathy for those who were employed at this and the other two units which have closed.

"We are working hard to fill the space and are advancing negotiations with a number of potential new occupiers."

Swindon Borough Council's Dale Heenan said: "This is a business matter between Morrisons as a private company and their landlord, the owner of Regent Circus. There are no options available for the council to intervene, but the landlord is proactively talking to other companies.

"This is a prime location for a supermarket so I have written to Morrisons' competitors including Waitrose, Aldi and Lidl, to make them aware that this site may be soon be available for a new store."