Next Steps Moving Forward For Old John Lewis Site

[S1 1DJ 11]

Following the saga of John Lewis [JL] holding the Council and City Centre hostage over IKEA and the "Heart of the City", which was changed due to JL not wanting to move to a new proposed site. JL then threw in the towel in after the Council stepped in to secure them citing a change in trends and direction.

 

Now the site is vacant and in the hands of the current leaseholder, Sheffield City Council. What are the next pragmatic steps and what would you like to see? A new Raddison four star hotel is being built on the Barkers Pool House site and to the opposite and rear the Heart of the City redevelopment is in progress. It looks like the building will be out of use for sometime following a couple of recent articles in the Telegraph:

 

https://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/people/john-lewis-to-pay-compensation-after-closure-of-sheffield-store-this-summer-3296482

 

https://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/business/we-want-the-people-of-sheffield-to-have-a-big-say-vow-of-company-tasked-with-new-vision-for-citys-closed-john-lewis-3302852

 

Hopefully, there is light at the end of the tunnel regards to the compensation, and JL will follow through with and a substantial amount. What is of concern is a large outdated unused site which needs some remedial work, and a plan before anything else moves forward.

 

Since this site is a current resource of the City - should the Council  reopen the car park at the earliest opportunity to gain some revenue from the site. There are over 400 spaces lost right in the middle of town and would create extra revenue for the Council. Also, with the "consultation", should there be some feasibility within the parameters of the leasehold and possibility of redevelopment of the site, due to the buildings format not being in "trend" anymore? Finally, the consultants, Fourth Street, were involved with Sheffield Central Library/Graves Art Gallery study. Does this reassure you?! 

 

Thoughts?  

 

 

Edited July 12, 2021 by S1 1DJ

[littlebasher 11]

In the short term,  I reckon they should demolish it and have it as a large open paved area.

 

It sits in the middle (literally) of most of the Heart of the city projects, and lets be honest - I doubt they find any retail use for that building. 

[ECCOnoob 1,044]

I don't think demolishing it is that simple.

 

They tried to do that once before way back in the sevenstone days but a load of NIMBYs from the Victorian Society, English Heritage and other such organisations kicked up the big stink about how it's got to be preserved and how it's such an important example of 60s architecture and how it's such an influential and historically significant design of department store building which falls under the preservation categories.

 

I suspect all such fights would start up again, delaying and prolonging any advancement of the area. The red tape and endless tedious roundtable meetings have only just begun. All the while the 60s concrete block starts decaying and progressively becomes an eyesore right in the heart of our city centre. Park Hill all over again.

 

As for John Lewis themselves they had better know what they are doing. Given they have already massively alienated South Yorkshire shoppers by casually suggesting they should pop up to Leeds... the shiny new Leeds store itself is hardly booming. Its offering is not so unique up there given the fact that it is just one of many places in that city where people can get premium label products and designer names (compared to the more more limited choice of such stores in Sheffield).  Certainly when I was up there at the weekend the store was 3/4 empty. Primark certainly wasn't and interestingly neither was Harvey Nichols which goes to show some people are making money at either end of the spectrum.

 

I'm not wholly convinced it's as simple as sitting back and going ....it's all Amazon's fault init....

[butlers 261]

Demolished and a new city park created.

The city centre is for living now ,there have been 10,000s of new residents and the demand is still very high.

 

 

[butlers 261]

The Brightside and Carbrook building is listed.

Had a guided tour led by an architect after it closed.

It is historic and if it's time ,was a first if it's kind in UK and takes it stylings from a department store in Chicago.

Even the loading bay has a quality of work pretty much never seen on a facade now .

Edited July 12, 2021 by butlers

[Baron99 797]

It was reported last week that John Lewis are moving into the rental accommodation sector, converting some of their property portfolio, to create 10,000 properties with them being furnished with John Lewis goods. 

 

Can't see that Sheffield would be included in this plan as SCC own the site.   Knock it down, clear the site & start with something new. 

Edited July 12, 2021 by Baron99

[hauxwell 243]

On 12/07/2021 at 16:21, ECCOnoob said:

As for John Lewis themselves they had better know what they are doing. Given they have already massively alienated South Yorkshire shoppers by casually suggesting they should pop up to Leeds... the shiny new Leeds store itself is hardly booming. Its offering is not so unique up there given the fact that it is just one of many places in that city where people can get premium label products and designer names (compared to the more more limited choice of such stores in Sheffield).  Certainly when I was up there at the weekend the store was 3/4 empty. Primark certainly wasn't and interestingly neither was Harvey Nichols which goes to show some people are making money at either end of the spectrum.

Newcastle John Lewis isn’t exactly  full of customers in the day time either.  When JL announced store closures I fully expected the Newcastle one to be on their list, but I was wrong.  Leeds and Newcastle city centre shops stay open after 6 pm six days a week.  If the weather is decent Leeds and Newcastle is buzzing with shoppers, can you say the same about Sheffield shops in the evening.  That’s when JL will be picking up extra trade in both cities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ECCOnoob 1,044]

3 hours ago, hauxwell said:

Newcastle John Lewis isn’t exactly  full of customers in the day time either.  When JL announced store closures I fully expected the Newcastle one to be on their list, but I was wrong.  Leeds and Newcastle city centre shops stay open after 6 pm six days a week.  If the weather is decent Leeds and Newcastle is buzzing with shoppers, can you say the same about Sheffield shops in the evening.  That’s when JL will be picking up extra trade in both cities.
 

Fair point.   But to be honest when I was in Leeds store it was 2 oclock on a Saturday afternoon. Personally, if that is not peak shopping hours I don't know what is.  

 

As I said in my earlier post, Primark was booming as was Harvey Nichols at the completely other end of the the price spectrum. I query what those shops were doing on Saturday afternoon to get the crowd in which JL seemingly wasn't.

Edited July 15, 2021 by ECCOnoob

[S1 1DJ 11]

On 12/07/2021 at 13:38, littlebasher said:

In the short term,  I reckon they should demolish it and have it as a large open paved area.

 

It sits in the middle (literally) of most of the Heart of the city projects, and lets be honest - I doubt they find any retail use for that building. 

I agree to some extent, but not just a paved area as quite a plot!

On 12/07/2021 at 16:21, ECCOnoob said:

I don't think demolishing it is that simple.

 

They tried to do that once before way back in the sevenstone days but a load of NIMBYs from the Victorian Society, English Heritage and other such organisations kicked up the big stink about how it's got to be preserved and how it's such an important example of 60s architecture and how it's such an influential and historically significant design of department store building which falls under the preservation categories.

 

I suspect all such fights would start up again, delaying and prolonging any advancement of the area. The red tape and endless tedious roundtable meetings have only just begun. All the while the 60s concrete block starts decaying and progressively becomes an eyesore right in the heart of our city centre. Park Hill all over again.

 

As for John Lewis themselves they had better know what they are doing. Given they have already massively alienated South Yorkshire shoppers by casually suggesting they should pop up to Leeds... the shiny new Leeds store itself is hardly booming. Its offering is not so unique up there given the fact that it is just one of many places in that city where people can get premium label products and designer names (compared to the more more limited choice of such stores in Sheffield).  Certainly when I was up there at the weekend the store was 3/4 empty. Primark certainly wasn't and interestingly neither was Harvey Nichols which goes to show some people are making money at either end of the spectrum.

 

I'm not wholly convinced it's as simple as sitting back and going ....it's all Amazon's fault init....

Didn't even think of the possibility of that! JL alongside the old Odean/Kingdom nightclub have looked out of place for a while. Well, the cinema since day one!

On 12/07/2021 at 16:30, butlers said:

Demolished and a new city park created.

The city centre is for living now ,there have been 10,000s of new residents and the demand is still very high.

 

 

A city park would be great. Although, nothing has really been done with the green space at the other end of Division St. Devonshire Green!

[AndrewC 307]

1 hour ago, S1 1DJ said:

Although, nothing has really been done with the green space at the other end of Division St. Devonshire Green!

During my years in Sheffield, Devonshire Green has seen investment in the paving, the new flowerbeds & walls along the top section, a new outdoor seating area for The Forum, and the green itself has been pretty well kept and managed. It has hosted Tramlines, Cliffhanger, and numerous other events over the years and on sunny days it seems like it is well used by folk.

 

What should be done with it if not all that?

 

 

 

 

[butlers 261]

It is well used indeed.

Hard to be there and find nobody.

Anything like a sunny day and there's a couple of  hundred people there.

 

 

[Baron99 797]

John Lewis to pay back £5 million to SCC. 

https://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/people/breaking-john-lewis-to-pay-ps5m-to-sheffield-council-after-closing-city-store-and-condition-of-building-is-revealed-3486660