Shops & Retail Units to Rent in East of England

Bedford Retail to Rent

The Harpur Centre, Bedford’s premier shopping centre, is open seven days a week with over 30 stores trading over two levels. The Harpur Centre is situated in the heart of Bedford and is the principal shopping centre within the town, anchored by Primark. Other notable tenants include Energie Fitness, Starbucks, Greggs, Vodafone, Specsavers, and Geek Retreat. The Shopping centre has recently undergone a £5 million internal and external refurbishment, including new flooring throughout, signage, lighting, increased ceiling heights, and water closet. facilities. The Harpur Centre also offers free Wi-Fi throughout. The Harpur Centre provides a natural link between Midland Road and the main town centre through to the Riverside Leisure scheme, which is anchored by a seven-screen Vue Cinema. The tenant lineup also includes Wagamama, Zizzi, Anytime Fitness, Albero Lounge, and Miller & Carter. Bedford is located 49 miles northwest of London, and easily accessible from the M1 to the west, and the A1 to the east.

Date on Market:

27/04/2026

Loughton Retail to Rent - Epping Forest

The former Epping Forest Visitor Centre occupies a 140-square-metre/1,506-square-foot, single-storey building set within the heart of Epping Forest, one of the UK’s most historic and biologically significant ancient woodlands. Positioned at High Beach, a key visitor hub surrounded by over 8,000 acres of accessible woodland, the site enjoys strong, year-round footfall from walkers, cyclists, runners, riders, families, and day visitors. The property features an enchanting exterior with a charming path directly connected to forest trails. Inside, the vaulted ceilings and skylights foster a vibrant, airy atmosphere with ample room for guest reception, showroom product displays, nature classes, and much more. The City of London Corp. is seeking proposals that are innovative, commercially viable, and demonstrate how the business will complement the Forest, enhance the visitor experience, and support High Beach as an inclusive and welcoming destination. Uses must be accessible, add value to the local community and Forest users, and align with the organization’s long-term vision for the site. Potential uses include food and beverage, outdoor leisure and wellness, and community-focused enterprises. The location benefits from excellent connectivity, attracting visitors from across London, Essex, and the wider commuter belt, with convenient access to the M25 and the A11/A12 corridors, as well as nearby Tube services into Central London. Its natural setting, extensive trail network, and established visitor demand make it an exceptional location for a nature-aligned commercial venture.

Property Type:

Specialist

Date on Market:

19/03/2026

Southend On Sea Retail to Rent - Southend-On-Sea

All measurements are approximate & were measured on a GIA (Gross Internal Area) basis. Ground Floor: 3,500 sq.ft. First Floor: 1,132 sq.ft. Basement: 678 sq.ft. Rear yard with refuse store & parking.

Date on Market:

27/05/2026

Clacton On Sea Retail to Rent - Clacton-on-Sea

Brook Park West is a vibrant development featuring prominent retail and leisure facilities. The park is home to well-known brands like Lidl, Pets at Home, Marks & Spencer Foodhall, McDonald's, Costa Coffee, and Marston's, ensuring excellent customer traffic and a dynamic shopping environment. Additionally, it is situated opposite Brook Park which features B&Q, Currys, Tesco extra, KFC and Pizza Hut. The site offers convenient access to Clacton Town Centre via the A133 and direct links to the A120 and A12, connecting to Ipswich, Colchester, and London . Clacton-on-Sea train station is just a short car journey away (approx. 6 mins), offering excellent transport links to Colchester (30 mins) and London Liverpool Street (90 mins).

Date on Market:

22/05/2026

Ware Retail to Rent

Ware is an affluent market town approximately 21 miles north-east of Central London, close to the A10 with easy access to the A1(M) and M11. The property is situated in the heart of the town centre within 2 min walk from Ware Train Station (Greater Anglia), It offers direct, regular routes to London Liverpool Street, Stratford, and Hertford East, with typical service frequencies ranging from two to four trains per hour depending on the time of day. Occupiers nearby include Costa Coffee, Sainsbury`s Local, Age UK, Card Factory, Boots, Subway and William Hill.

Date on Market:

20/05/2026

Ipswich Retail to Rent

Located in the heart of Ipswich, 14-16 Carr Street sits on a busy pedestrianised shopping thoroughfare surrounded by major national occupiers and independent retailers. The property benefits from excellent connectivity, with nearby rail links to London Liverpool Street in just over an hour and convenient access to the A12 and A14 for regional travel. Ipswich serves as the county town of Suffolk, offering a strong commercial base and a vibrant retail environment supported by a resident population of around 180,000 people.

Date on Market:

14/05/2026

Waltham Cross Retail to Rent - Cheshunt

101A High Street comprises a prominently positioned restaurant/takeaway unit arranged over ground and first floor levels, located on a busy High Street in Waltham Cross. The property benefits from double frontage, providing strong visibility and presence within an active retail and leisure pitch. The surrounding area offers a mix of national and independent operators, contributing to consistent footfall throughout the day. The location is well connected, with Waltham Cross Station within a short walk and convenient access to the M25, supporting strong accessibility for both staff and customers.

Date on Market:

14/05/2026

Cambridge Retail to Rent

The unit is situated to the rear of the mall adjacent to H&M and opposite the La Piazza mall café. This includes the development of a new restaurant quarter at first floor level adjoining Vue Cinema for occupiers such as Amelie, Chi, Burger Priest and Yakut and new stores for H&M and Decathlon. Existing anchor stores in the scheme include Next, H&M and Boots and the centre has 1,150 car parking spaces.

Date on Market:

19/02/2024

Bedford Retail to Rent

Bedford High Street comprises of a variety of national local and niche retailers with good daytime and evening trade. The historic market town of Bedford with its attractive riverside frontage is centrally located to London, Oxford, Cambridge and Milton Keynes. Bedford is located approximately 50 miles north of London, 10 miles east from Junction 13 of the M1 motorway accessed via the A421, and 9 miles west of the A1 via the A428 and A603.

Date on Market:

12/05/2026

Cheshunt Retail to Rent

The property occupies a prominent position on Turners Hill, one of Cheshunt’s main high streets, benefiting from excellent visibility and consistent footfall. The surrounding area is a well-established commercial hub, home to a mix of independent retailers, restaurants, and national occupiers. Cheshunt offers strong local demographics and excellent connectivity, with easy access to the A10, M25, and Cheshunt railway station providing regular services into London Liverpool Street. The location supports both eat-in and delivery-focused trade, making it ideal for food and beverage operators.

Date on Market:

12/05/2026

Biggleswade Retail to Rent

A prominent retail unit with return frontage to the Market Square occupied by Cancer Research currently occupying the ground floor and basement areas. The property faces onto the Market Square in the town centre. The A1 motorway is just a short drive away and the town’s railway station is within 5 minutes walking distance with fast and frequent trains into London. Also, within the town as major draws are the Asda and Aldi Supermarkets. Biggleswade is a busy and expanding market town with a population of about 16,000 and a large catchment aided by the good access afforded by the A1 trunk road which bypasses the town on its west side. There is also the main line railway station within the town.

Date on Market:

06/05/2026

Halstead Retail to Rent

A prominently positioned and generously proportioned restaurant/café premises located in the heart of Halstead vibrant and busy High Street. The property occupies a strong trading location benefiting from consistent daytime and evening footfall, with a range of independent retailers, bars and public houses in close proximity, together with both short and long-stay public parking nearby. Previously operated as a successful pizza restaurant, the premises are offered fully fitted and ready to trade, requiring only light refurbishment, or alternatively provide an excellent opportunity for an incoming occupier to reconfigure and fit out to their own brand and concept. The accommodation is arranged to provide several distinct seating areas extending to approximately 1,000 sq ft, currently arranged for around 50 covers, with potential to increase to 65+ covers subject to layout. To the rear is a well-equipped commercial kitchen of approximately 215 sq ft, featuring a large pizza oven, extraction system, two walk-in refrigerators, and a separate bar/servery area. Additional accommodation includes two generously sized customer WCs together with a pot-wash and storage area. Total unit area is c. 2,000ft2.

Date on Market:

06/05/2026

Bedford Retail to Rent

The property is prominently located on Midland Road, a well-established commercial area in Bedford, benefiting from strong passing traffic and footfall. It is situated close to Bedford town centre and Bedford railway station, providing direct links to London and surrounding areas. The property also enjoys good access to major road networks including the A6 and A421, ensuring excellent overall connectivity.

Date on Market:

27/04/2026

Cambridge Retail to Rent

The property comprises a retail building with extensive corner glazing to the upper floors. The property is constructed of steel frame with brick and block cavity walling underneath a slate covered pitched roof. The building is arranged over two floors. Cambridge is a historic university city and is the administrative centre for Cambridgeshire. The city has a primary catchment of over 500,000 with an estimated shopping population of over 287,000. Cambridge is ranked as a Regional Centre (PMA) and dominates an extensive catchment area encompassing a number of smaller towns such as Haverhill, Saffron Walden, Royston and Ely. The city is ranked 28th in terms of comparison good retail spend (Promis) an amount that is boosted each year by tourism with the city council estimating that 4.5 million tourists visit annually. The property is located close to the entrance of the Grafton Centre, on the pedestrianised Fitzroy Street, which is the main link from the Grafton Centre to the historic city centre. The Grafton Centre is in the midst of being redeveloped to create a new life science hub, including laboratories, a hotel, and a gym, while retaining some retail space. The new development creates a mixed-use space, with the majority of the centre being repurposed for a life science campus and a hotel creating space for over 2000 new jobs .Approximately 11,000 sqm of retail floor space will remain, with some shops, such as Boots and, continuing to operate at the Fitzroy Street entrance.

Date on Market:

23/04/2026

Colchester Retail to Rent

The property itself comprises a ground floor and first floor café with kitchen facilities at the rear. There is spot lighting throughout generating a good amount of light with carpeting in the seating areas on both floors. There is a basement which is currently used for internal storage purposes. Externally there is a gated yard which has been previously used as an outside seating area. The freeholder has advised the stainless steel sink, 6 ring gas cooker and extractor will remain in the property. The remaining furniture will be listed as inventory with the opportunity to purchase at an additional cost.

Date on Market:

22/04/2026

Beccles Retail to Rent - Wrentham

The property comprises a large detached retail warehouse set on a self-contained site of approximately 0.87 acres, positioned prominently along London Road (A12) within a predominantly residential area of Wrentham. The building benefits from strong roadside visibility, a private car park for circa 30 vehicles and a configuration suited to a variety of commercial uses, with potential for future alternative or mixed-use redevelopment subject to the necessary planning consents.

Date on Market:

21/04/2026

Braintree Retail to Rent

Braintree is a growing Essex market town with a population of around 45,000. It enjoys excellent transport links due to its close proximity of the busy A120 and around 15 miles west of Colchester and north of Chelmsford. There are direct rail links into London Liverpool Street with a journey time of around 1 hour and London Stansted Airport within 15 miles. The property is located within the Southern area of Braintree town, within a pedestrian route allowing easy access through to the High Street. The area is predominantly occupied by independent retailers. The property comprises a predominantly open plan retail space at ground floor level, with a fully glazed frontage. Towards the rear there is a kitchenette and WC. Externally at the rear there is a roller shutter door which may be used for deliveries.

Date on Market:

20/04/2026

Colchester Retail to Rent

Date on Market:

19/04/2026

Grays Retail to Rent

Fully refurbished two-storey restaurant, positioned in a prime location close to town centre and transport links.

Date on Market:

17/04/2026

Watford Mixed-use to Rent

Flexible, well presented workspaces suitable for a range of uses including offices, wellness, photography, and classes or group sessions. The spaces have a clean, modern aesthetic with a simple industrial edge – featuring white walls, dark ceilings, quality flooring and minimal detailing throughout. The overall look is bright, neutral, and easy to personalise to suit different styles of business. A space that encourages ideas to take shape – whether you're building something new, working with clients, or creating content. Recently renovated, the units offer a practical mix of open areas and private rooms, ideal for treatment rooms, consulting spaces, or studio setups. Plumbing is available, making them particularly well suited to salon, aesthetic or therapy use, while still working equally well for office or creative businesses. Straightforward, adaptable layouts that can be tailored to suit a variety of business needs. Allocated parking available.

Date on Market:

16/04/2026

Leighton Buzzard Retail to Rent

The attractive market town of Leighton Buzzard in Central Bedfordshire is situated midway between Milton Keynes and Luton. This thriving and historic town, which is currently experiencing rapid residential and commercial expansion, benefits from excellent road and rail links and also from a wide variety of specialist and national retailers.

Date on Market:

16/04/2026

Grays Retail to Rent

Situated to a well-known and popular secondary shopping parade serving the densely populated area of North Grays and having the benefit of main road frontage with lay-by parking immediately to the front. Nearby traders include Co-operative supermarket, Coral bookmakers, Barclays Bank Plc, Pizza Hut. The premises comprise of an end shop unit with living accommodation on a multi-level suite close to the junction with Southend Road. There is a large basement storage area which has access to rear yard in turn accessed by an unmade service road from Oval Gardens. To the upper floor, there is a self-contained flat with accommodation comprising two bedrooms, kitchen, lounge, combined bathroom/WC.

Date on Market:

09/04/2026

Grays Retail to Rent

The premises are situated on a busy retail parade, benefiting from strong footfall and excellent visibility, conveniently located close to local schools and Grays town centre.

Date on Market:

09/04/2026