Builders are taking a Christmas break as a deadline for the completion of Fargate looms.

Sisk staff were not visible on the city centre street on New Year’s Eve. All the small barriered off building sites were quiet.

In November, bosses said the multi-million pound upgrade would be “substantially” finished by the end of February. This was a slight change on previous announcements when it said would be finished by then.

Building sites on Fargate stand empty on New Year's Eve. | NW

placeholder image — Building sites on Fargate stand empty on New Year's Eve. | NW

But with work to do, and unlike most shops, it seemed the business was closed.

An email to the Irish firm’s press team received a response saying they would be back on January 2.

The company started in April 2023. Previously, managers said they couldn’t work faster due to the need to keep Fargate “open” - maintaining access to shops for customers and deliveries - not damaging utilities, discovering a forgotten subway and burying huge bins to replace trade wheelie bins.

Fargate is being repaved and will have huge flower beds when complete.