Greggs to open new Exeter store

Major bakery chain Greggs has unveiled plans to open another shop in Exeter city centre. It will revive a shop unit that has been empty for more than two years.

In November 2021, plans were approved to overhaul two shop units on the High Street, which were occupied by Paperchase and Mountain Warehouse at the time. The proposed changes included reconfiguring the ground floor and basement, as well as turning the upper floors into 11 student flats, with a total of 24 bedrooms.

Mountain Warehouse has since moved and reopened in a much larger premises just two doors down, while Paperchase moved to Princesshay, before closing for good. The stationery retailer was briefly replaced by Great Reads bookshop but this closed in 2022 and the site has been vacant ever since.

The two retail premises have been listed by Arc Retail property consultancy and has now labelled both as being 'under offer'.

⚠️ Want the latest Devon breaking news and top stories first? Click here to join our WhatsApp group. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice⚠️

While the property consultants have not revealed who the offers have come from, a planning application has confirmed that Greggs will be taking over the former Princesshay store. Documents included as part of the application, which has been approved by Exeter City Council, show proposals to install the bakery chain's signage.

The new store would be the sixth in Exeter and the second on the High Street, with one located near the entrance to the Guildhall Shopping Centre. Others can be found on Sidwell Street, Cowick Street, Trusham Road and Kestrel Way.

The bakery is well known for both sweet and savoury goods, particularly its sausage rolls and savoury bakes. There are more than 2,450 branches across the UK.