'˜No interest' in University Campus Aylesbury Vale restaurants

Aylesbury Vale District Council built the campus in Exchange Street at a cost of £16.5m and leases it Aylesbury College and Bucks New University.

The council always planned for two restaurants to occupy the ground floor of the building but there has been no interest in the two years the space has been marketed, despite an advertising campaign in the trade press.

Ian Harper, general manager of the campus, is now considering alternatives for the space, which would be sublet, meaning the council is not losing out on rent.

Mr Harper said: “There has been no interest at all. It’s not a great look if it is empty but we can’t wait for the interest to come if it has already been two years.”

He said a ‘whole series of options’ are being considered.

“Whatever the alternative is it is important it is in keeping with the purpose of the campus. The default option is to simply have more teaching space and education space there. It is really important the right thing goes in there because that is our shopfront .”

It is understood that there has been considerable interest in the five restaurant spaces which will be created on the town side of Exchange Street as part of Waterside North.