Bidwells Cambridge Retail and Leisure team appointed on Mill Yard, Railpens 180,000 sq ft mixed use Cambridge campus

Railpen, manager of the £34bn railways pension scheme in the UK, and Socius, its development partner, have announced the appointment of Bidwells as the leasing agent for the variety of ground floor amenity units within Mill Yard, the 180,000 sq ft mixed-use campus currently under construction in central Cambridge.

Bidwells’ retail and leisure team based in the city is to lead the leasing of over 5,500 sq ft of space, which includes a café, restaurant, and nursery located around a 1.5-acre new park at the heart of Mill Yard.  Bidwells will concentrate on local independent operators aligned with the existing offer on Mill Road, a highly regarded F&B focal point in Cambridge.

 The ground-floor units that Bidwells is focused on can accommodate a variety of uses: 

·       1,748 sq ft corner space conceived as a wine bar and restaurant.  Complete with a south-facing al fresco dining area, it will form a prominent gateway into Mill Yard from Mill Road

·       1,187 sq ft unit designed to serve as a café or bakery.  Situated at Mill Yard’s southern gateway, it will serve as a welcome for people arriving from nearby Cambridge station

·       2,688 sq ft nursery, located in a bespoke building at the southern end of the unique campus.  Spanning two floors, the nursery includes a secure private outdoor play area. 

They will complement a combined café and events space on the ground floor of the offices, a gym and wellness space, outdoor fitness area and running track, the central park and its unique events pavilion, and landscaped gardens to encourage biodiversity. Combined, they will create a varied and engaging community within a community in the heart of Cambridge.

Maria Averkina, Asset and Development Manager at Railpen, said: “Mill Yard’s ground floor offer is vital in creating an engaging experience for workers, residents and neighbours to complement the exceptional office and residential space.  We want to provide independent variety that reflects the character and appeal of Mill Road, a thriving collection of local bars, cafés, restaurants and shops known throughout the city.  Bidwells’ retail and leisure team has the knowledge and the relationships to help achieve that ambition.”

James Lankfer, Head of Retail and Leisure at Bidwells, added: “The ground floor units at Mill Yard are a rare opportunity for local operators to become part of a new commercial and residential community, in one of Cambridge’s most vibrant neighbourhoods. These spaces will make a vital contribution to the unique Mill Yard experience, and we are already receiving strong interest from several well-known and well-established independent businesses.”

Part of Railpen’s 1.9 m sq ft innovation cluster in the city, Mill Yard is the first of its developments under construction, with completion due in Q1 2027.  With excellent transport links, pioneering sustainability credentials, and an ethos grounded in creating an engaging experience, Mill Yard will be a hub for several new and established businesses across the tech and innovation sectors. Railpen’s innovation cluster also includes Botanic Place, its 325,000 sq ft global standard headquarters development that is due for completion in Q1 2028.