Fargate Sheffield: Photos show how £33million city centre street upgrade is progressing one year on

This Bank Holiday weekend marks roughly one year since dozens of red and white barriers first appear on Fargate in Sheffield city centre to mark the official start of the revamp project.

Photos from a year ago show lots of these barriers, which have since become a common sight on the city centre street, outside each shopfront from Orchard Square to High Street.

One year later, we are still some way from the upgrades being completed, but the progress is clear.

Much of the cobbles outside the shopping units has been removed and replaced with smoother, more accessible surfaces. New paving and bollards can also be seen at each end of Fargate.

The changes are part of the “essential” Future High Street Fund project in Sheffield, which began in May 2023 after the council was awarded £15.8million by the government.

In the last six months, it has been confirmed that the cost of the project has more than doubled to £33.6million - which the a council spokesperson previously said was due to inflation.

Sheffield City Council will be making up the difference from its own coffers and an additional £11.9million from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

Furthermore, The Star recently reported the entire city centre revamp - in which High Street, Castle Square, Hartshead Square, George Street and Mulberry Street are all due upgrades - will run into a third year, after council documents revealed Phase 2 of the project is unlikely to start before 2025.

It adds: “Phase 2 works remain essential given the importance of High Street and Castle Square as a key pedestrian route linking Levelling Up Fund investment at Castlegate with Fargate and Heart of the City.”