DORCHESTER: Town welcomes new traders at the Tudor Arcade

Dorchester’s appeal to retailers is confirmed by the continuing revival of the town-centre Tudor Arcade, with news that the last remaining empty shop in the arcade will soon be occupied.

The latest addition to the Tudor Arcade is Melbury Gallery, already established in Weymouth and Sherborne.

Matthew Pye, of Bartle Pye Commercial, which negotiated the tenancy, said: “It is really good to see things looking so lively in Dorchester these days.

“This will be the first time in seven years that the Tudor Arcade has been fully occupied.

“In the last six months we have also helped Town Mill Bakery, Crystals and Eureka set up in the arcade – all new to the town and all helping give the arcade a unique appeal for shoppers.”

Dorchester’s buoyant retail scene is in stark contrast to the picture in most towns in the UK. A recent report by the Local Data Company showed continuing high street decline all over the country.

It recorded that town centre shop vacancies had continued to increase in the second half of 2009, with an average of 12.4 per cent of shops standing empty across the UK.

The figure for Dorchester is around eight per cent.

Jan Merriott of Bartle Pye said: “Despite the recession, we’re seeing more and more evidence that Dorchester is on the way up, bucking the general trend.

“It is a dynamic, upcoming county town. Things are almost getting to the stage where if you’re looking to open in Dorchester you’d be lucky to find a shop.”

Mr Pye added: “In the Tudor Arcade, the retirement of Lesley and John Martin means that the Stuart Turner Tobacconist shop will soon be becoming vacant, but we already have three offers from businesses interested in taking on the lease.”

PICTURE: Jan Merriott (left) and Matthew Pye at the Tudor Arcade in Dorchester

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