The iconic Rotunda at Charles Cross has been put back on the leasing market after the latest second-hand clothing operator vacated the premises, estate agents have confirmed.
Prime city-centre location beside Drake Circus
Vickery Holman is marketing the property, which it describes as a prominently sited, two-storey unit with a total area of 7,497 sq ft split between ground floor retail space and basement storage. The building sits directly opposite Drake Circus Shopping Centre and Primark, and lies adjacent to the Barcode leisure extension developed by British Land.
“It is suitable for a variety of uses,”
The agents say the Rotunda would lend itself to a range of activities following the changes to use classes, including retail, cafés and restaurants, indoor recreation, creches and gyms under the E class designation.
Rent, lease and immediate surroundings
The property is available to let at a headline figure of £40,000 a year, exclusive of business rates, service charges, insurance and VAT. It is being offered by way of a new full repairing and insuring lease, with terms to be agreed.
- Size: 7,497 sq ft (ground floor and basement)
- Location: Charles Cross, opposite Drake Circus and Primark
- Asking rent: £40,000 per year (exclusive)
- Potential uses: E class — retail, cafés, indoor recreation, gyms, creches, etc.
Recent occupancy and local context
The Rotunda’s unusual circular footprint has attracted a string of occupiers over the last two decades, but several have had short tenures. Agents cite past tenants including motorcycle clothing chain Hein Gericke and Evans Cycles, which moved into the building in 2014 and later relocated to larger premises on New George Street.
More recent occupants included e-bike and e-scooter retailer Pure Electric, which opened what was marketed as the company’s 18th UK outlet before closing in June 2022 after around 13 months. Vintage Superstore traded from the building in 2023 but ceased trading in August 2024 and subsequently went into liquidation. A later second-hand clothing trader has also now left.
| Tenant | Noted dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hein Gericke | Past decade | Specialist motorcycle clothing |
| Evans Cycles | Moved in 2014 | Later moved to New George Street |
| Pure Electric | Closed June 2022 | Opened as 18th UK outlet; traded ~13 months |
| Vintage Superstore | 2023–Aug 2024 | Ceased trading and entered liquidation |
Its proximity to the Barcode — the leisure extension that includes a 12-screen Cineworld/IMAX and several food and leisure outlets — places the Rotunda close to a concentrated footfall-generating cluster. That juxtaposition will be a selling point for operators seeking synergy with the nearby leisure and retail offer.
What this means for the city centre
City-centre landlords and agents continue to balance demand for experiential leisure and food-and-drink concepts with the realities of changing retail behaviours. The Rotunda’s reintroduction to the market presents an opportunity for a leisure operator or specialist retailer to occupy a prominent, if architecturally challenging, corner of Plymouth’s shopping district.
Prospective tenants and interested parties should contact Vickery Holman to discuss the lease and availability. The future occupant will shape how the site complements the wider Drake Circus and Barcode leisure quarter as the city-centre economy seeks to rebuild and adapt.
