Together with the Dewsbury Town Deal Board, Kirklees Council have been successful in a bid for nearly £4.5m investment from the National Heritage Lottery Fund, to support the development of the historic Dewsbury Arcade.
The Dewsbury Arcade is a Grade II Listed building, which has been a focal feature in Dewsbury town centre since the Victorian era and is a key focus of the Dewsbury Blueprint – which lays out Kirklees Council’s ambitious plans for the future of the town.
The planned improvements will bring the arcade, which has stood empty for seven years, back into regular use.
Another key part of the development is the restoration work, which will future-proof the building’s beautiful historic architecture while the redevelopment brings it back to life.
With this crucial injection of funding, the council are now planning to start work on the arcade renovations this autumn.
With the support of the Arcade Group – a community business formed with the purpose of leasing and managing the arcade – the council are aiming to fill the reopened building with a range of independent local traders, along with a great food and drink offering.
Once the works are underway this autumn, the Arcade Group will be launching a community share group. Through this, local people will be able to elect board members and have part ownership in the business. The community share group will support the Arcade Group by raising money for developments on the business side.
Councillor Shabir Pandor, leader of Kirklees Council, says: “The purchase of the arcade back in 2020 was one of our first major steps in our Dewsbury Blueprint plans, so it’s fantastic to get news that we can make a start on our ambitious renovations.
“The arcade has always been an impressive building and a real focal point for people visiting the town centre, so to see it returned to its former glory will be fantastic. I can’t wait to see it become a vibrant thoroughfare once again, helping to reinvigorate Dewsbury’s retail offering alongside our other blueprint plans – as well as hopefully offering new opportunities to local entrepreneurs.
“I appreciate people might think things aren’t happening in Dewsbury because projects like this can be a slow process, but I hope this reassures people that we are doing a lot of work in the background. While we want to do everything right, especially where public money is concerned, and make sure we’re delivering the best possible results, we won’t deviate from our plans for the Dewsbury Blueprint.”
Councillor Eric Firth, Cabinet Member for Transport and Ward Councillor for Dewsbury East, says: “The Dewsbury Arcade is one of our more iconic buildings in Dewsbury town centre. Thanks to this funding, it’s time to bring it out of retirement and open it up to the public once more – I think I speak for everyone when I say we can’t wait to get started.
“I know local people are excited to once again have a bustling retail offering in Dewsbury, and this is one of several projects which should capitalise on our incredible independent traders to drive more value back into the local economy.”
Helen Featherstone, Director for the North of England at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, says: “We are delighted to support Kirklees Council with this project, which will restore the Dewsbury Arcade to its former glory.
“It’s fantastic to think that our investment – made possible thanks to the money raised by National Lottery players – will give this amazing heritage building a new lease of life, create new opportunities for local independent businesses and play a significant role in boosting the local economy, while contributing towards the regeneration and wider townscape of Dewsbury.”
Keith Ramsay, Chair of the Dewsbury Town Deal Board, says: “The board are thrilled at this success. Many teams and partners will be involved in the delivery of this project, and we look forward to further successes as we see the arcade restored.”
Natalie Liddle, representative of the Arcade Group, says: “The award is fantastic news. We can now get back to all the tenants that have already expressed an interest in the arcade.
“In the autumn, we will be launching a community share issue to raise £150,000 to finance the business.
“This is all about Dewsbury and turning the town centre around. We’d love to hear from anyone who wants to be part of the arcade, as a tenant or an investor.”
