Department: Sheffield city centre food hall built from old Kommune site closes two months after opening

Department opened on May 9, after owners took over what was formerly the food hall Kommune.

The new venue, described by owners as a ‘social space’, was based inside the iconic Castle House on Angel Street.

The rebrand was intended to honour the heritage of the building, once used as a Co-operative department store, with the new redesign set to reflect a 60s style inline with the era of its construction.

Director Jon Perry told The Star ahead of its opening: “We’ve taken over this space, but we’re not just rebranding an old product, we’re making something new with our own vision.

“It was important for us to create a new vision for this space - the people of Sheffield have a lot of fond memories of this building and we want to honour that.

“From the day we open the doors customer experience will be at a premium.”

Yet today (July 2), less than two months after the launch party, business owners have confirmed that the site will be permanently closing.

Keep your finger on the pulse with our daily newsletter, covering breaking news stories and all of the biggest headlines from Sheffield and South Yorkshire

It is understood that the closure has taken immediate effect, as the site was not open over lunch hours today.

A spokesperson for the company said: “We are saddened to announce that Department has now permanently closed.

“This decision follows careful consideration and is the result of ongoing trading challenges, reduced footfall, the inability to secure essential funding, and a number of external factors that have ultimately made it no longer viable for us to continue operating.

“We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who has supported Department - our dedicated team, our guests, collaborators, and the wider Sheffield community. We are proud of what we built together, the connections and creativity that filled our space.”