London Museum launches leasing opportunities at new Smithfield location
London Museum has launched retail, leisure, and office leasing opportunities at its new location at Smithfield General Market in Farringdon.
Retail and leisure leasing consultancy Bruce Gillingham Pollard has been appointed to manage the leasing for six units, which form a parade around the new museum.
The units, called ‘Houses’, occupy a unique around the 150,000 sq ft General Market building, an architectural landmark designed by Sir Horace Jones, whose legacy includes Tower Bridge and Leadenhall Market.
The General Market will be home to London Museum’s permanent galleries, which will explore 10,000 years of the city’s history, while also hosting a year-round events programme and temporary displays. The museum is set to open in 2026 and is expected to attract over two million visitors annually.
Benefitting from frontages onto Farringdon Road, Charterhouse Street, and West Smithfield, each retail unit has the potential to host independent retailers and restaurants, as well as office space for charities, social enterprises, or other organisations. They will sit alongside the museum’s own food and beverage and retail offer, which includes a destination bar, restaurant, and café.
Based in the heart of the City of London, the wider neighbourhood is home to global businesses such as Amazon, Snapchat, TikTok, Deloitte, and Goldman Sachs. It is also known for a number of destination restaurants, the legendary Fabric nightclub, and heritage sites, such as the 900-year-old St Bart’s Hospital.
Alec Shaw, director at London Museum, said: “From the beginning of this project, our vision for the museum has been to create something for London – with Londoners – that tells the rich and vibrant story of this city. These street-front spaces offer us an entirely new way to do this and we’re excited to work with partners who share our love for London, whether that’s music studios, independent retailers, charities, or favourite London brands. As we bring the market back to public use for the first time in almost four decades, we want to bring together a community that works in symbiosis with the museum and helps us shape a major new cultural quarter.”
Tracey Pollard, founding director at Bruce Gillingham Pollard, added: “This is truly a once in a generation opportunity to be part of a team reviving one of London’s most exciting landmarks to be a civic magnet once more. The Houses’ character, location, rich history, and positioning within a major cultural address, surrounded by global businesses, presents an entirely new concept to showcase London’s best brands.”