Middlemoor Police Headquarters, Exeter

THE OPPORTUNITY
Bettesworths is delighted to offer an exciting opportunity to lease and operate a catering unit within Middlemoor Police Headquarters, Exeter.

The premises is located within Andy Hocking House and provides an established catering and service environment, together with access to a substantial communal seating area, offering seating for 80+ customers.

The café is intended to provide a convenient food and beverage service throughout the working day for the benefit of the on-site customer base comprising staff, students and visitors. The required minimum core opening hours being Monday to Friday – 7.00am to 3.00pm. The opportunity provides scope for an operator to develop a varied café-style menu, to include freshly prepared food, hot and cold drinks, breakfast items, snacks and light lunches to cater to the requirements of staff, students and visitors to the headquarters.

The opportunity is particularly suited to an experienced café, catering or food operator looking to secure a trading location with an established customer base and regular daily footfall. The prospective tenant will be looking to create a well-run catering business with the intention of becoming an integral part of the day-to-day facilities available to those working, studying and visiting at the headquarters.

The premises comprises:-

A dedicated catering preparation area incorporating access to a walk-in fridge, together with a separate wash-up area equipped with a commercial push-through dishwasher. To the front of the unit is a customer-facing service counter with associated preparation space and till position as per the floor plan provided.

LEASE TERMS
The premises is available by way of a new Repairing Lease. The proposed lease term will be 5 years, with both the landlord and tenant having a break clause at the end of Year 1, with either party having the ability to terminate the lease thereafter at any time by giving at least 3 month’s prior written notice.

The lease will be contracted out of the security of tenure provisions of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954. The tenant will keep the premises & trade equipment in good and tenantable repair. The operator will trade the café between the hours of 7.00am – 3.00pm, Monday to Friday. The tenant will be permitted to trade outside these hours where appropriate, subject to the landlord's requirements and the terms of the lease.

The tenant will be required to provide their own crockery & cutlery, but should not provide takeaway containers. Trade equipment and utensils will also be provided by the tenant. The tenant will also have the benefit of a designated parking space and access for deliveries. The tenant will also have the use of the toilet facilities within Andy Hocking House.

SEALED BIDS
We have been informed that our client requires a tender form to be completed. The tender form is available on request from Bettesworths – .
Interested parties should return this form to Bettesworths, 29-30 Fleet Street, Torquay, TQ1 1BB in a sealed envelope by the closing date 1pm on Wednesday 14th October 2026.

Bids submitted by email will not be accepted. Offers should include details of the buyer’s circumstances, financial situation and experience in the trade if relevant along with rental bids. VAT will not be payable on the rent.

The Police’s priority is to select an operator who will run a well-run café providing good quality products, provide good value for money and quality service.

TRADE INVENTORY
The tenant will have the option to purchase a Icombi Classic Oven. Other items will remain in the ownership of the Landlord. A full list to be provided.

UTILITIES
A reasonable level of consumption of utilities, electric & water, will be included within the rent. There is no gas within the premises.

RATEABLE VALUE
A new rating assessment to be carried out by the VOA. The tenant will be responsible for the payment of business rates relating to the premises.

PROPOSED GROUND FLOOR PLAN –CAFÉ & PREP AREAS
The area available to lease is shown edged red on the accompanying plan.

Not to scale. For identification purposes only. Interested parties should satisfy themselves as to the extent and suitability of the accommodation.

EPC RATING B