Major retailer to occupy former Wilko unit in Haverfordwest
Pembrokeshire Council moves to lease a key Riverside Shopping Centre unit to a national high‑street retailer, aiming to boost footfall and generate revenue.
A special extraordinary meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council on Friday, 16 October, will decide the fate of the former Wilko unit at Unit 1/2‑6 Old Bridge, Haverfordwest.
The council’s agenda lists a single item – a lease proposal for a “major high street retailer” to occupy the vacant Riverside Shopping Centre premises.
The property, part of the Riverside estate acquired by the council in November 2020, has lain empty since Wilko closed its doors in 2023 after its parent entered administration.
“Upon the building being returned to the council, it became apparent that it was in a poor state of repair.” The deteriorating roof, ageing building fabric and outdated internal layout limited its suitability for modern retail, commercial or community uses without substantial investment,” a council briefing notes.
Further, “The council was also unable to fully recover dilapidation costs due to Wilko’s insolvency,” the same document adds.
Since the closure, the unit has been described as “one of the most significant empty commercial units in the county town”, underscoring its strategic importance to the town centre.
In response, council officials have pursued a refurbishment and repurposing programme, aiming to secure a new occupier, increase footfall and generate rental income.
“Recognising its strategic importance, the council has pursued proposals to refurbish and repurpose the building to secure a new occupier, increase town centre footfall, generate rental income, increase employment opportunity and support the wider regeneration of Haverfordwest,” the report states.
Surveys carried out in 2026 revealed the building’s condition to be “significantly poorer than originally anticipated”, prompting an expanded refurbishment plan.
Before any works could commence, the premises were marketed through a commercial property agent to gauge interest.
“In advance of progressing refurbishment works, the premises were marketed through a commercial property agent to test market interest and identify potential occupiers,” the council paper records.
The marketing exercise “generated enquiries from a number of national retailers”, according to the same source.
A lease offer from an unnamed major retailer has now been secured, with board approval valid until 31 October, though refurbishment cannot begin until the Agreement for Lease is finalised.
Council officials warn that doing nothing would mean continued “reactive maintenance and management costs” and a missed opportunity to support the town’s regeneration agenda.
Financially, the council has earmarked £47,000 from the Riverside reserve for the current financial year to cover the costs incurred by the unit’s vacancy.
The recommendation put forward to councillors is to let the unit to the unnamed retailer, a move described as delivering “best value to the council, both in terms of rental income and the wider economic benefits associated with securing a nationally recognised occupier within the town centre”.
“The proposal will support the ongoing regeneration of Haverfordwest town centre by securing a major high street retailer for a prominent vacant unit, bringing a building currently in poor condition back into beneficial economic use, increasing footfall and visitor activity within the town centre, and generating a revenue surplus for the Riverside Shopping Centre Reserve,” the briefing concludes.
If approved, the lease could breathe new life into one of Haverfordwest’s most prominent empty spaces, bolstering footfall and contributing to the broader regeneration of the Riverside Shopping Centre.