Leah's Yard: Flagship Heart of the City 2 restoration project in Sheffield delayed a year

The flagship restoration project on Cambridge Street was due to open in spring, with 25 units for independent shops, businesses and events.

But it has been hit by delays on neighbouring projects including the Bethel Chapel restoration and a new food hall and office block, which themselves will be up to six months late.

Now Leah’s is due to open in spring 2024, according to Andrew Davison, of development firm Queensberry.

He said it was “disappointing and frustrating” and blamed the war in Ukraine, a lack of labour and the increasing cost of materials. He also said they had been waiting nine months for an electricity sub-station.

He added: “It’s a big problem, but Heart of the City 2 is still attracting the right people and we are still getting enquiries.”

The 19th Century listed former Little Mesters works is one of Sheffield’s most important heritage buildings. It has been revamped externally but needs sockets, lights and heating.

Sheffield construction firm Henry Boot has a compound on land where an extension to Leah’s Yard is due to go.

Tom Wolfenden, director of Leah’s Yard, said they would not sign tenants until it was ready. But they’d had 153 enquiries for the 25 spaces which was “really positive.”

The Cambridge Street food hall, to be run by Matt Bigland of Cutlery Works in Neepsend, was due to open in September but is now scheduled for spring, Mr Davison said.

And office block, Elshaw House, between Wellington Street, Carver Street and Backfields, was due to finish in spring but should now be ready by June.

Sheffield City Council is bankrolling the £480m Heart of the City 2 project which includes more than a dozen construction projects.

Leah’s Yard is the only surviving example of hundreds of Little Mesters workshops which would have dominated the city centre in the nineteenth century.

Last used more than six years ago, it was supported by scaffolding for at least three years.

Bethel Chapel, which dates back to the 1800s and was most recently the John Lewis toy shop, is set to be a live entertainment venue.