Event Central: Cultural hub gets the go-ahead in Sheffield as part of a multi-million pound Fargate revamp

Sheffield City Council has announced that the planning application for Event Central – a mixed-use cultural community hub on Fargate – has been approved.

Event Central is a regeneration project commissioned by Sheffield City Council and is funded through the Future High Streets Fund, which will see the refurbishment of the existing vacant building at 20-26 Fargate. Formally used as a ground floor retail space, Event Central will see all five floors and the basement opened up to create a community and commercial space. It will provide an opportunity to showcase Sheffield’s diverse talent with events, shows, exhibitions, workshops and talks all under one roof, according to the council.

Councillor Mazher Iqbal, Co-Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, said: “The approval of the Event Central planning application is another exciting step in creating this vibrant and cultural space for the people of Sheffield. We know how much talent there is within our city and we are confident Event Central will be the perfect place to showcase it, attracting thousands of visitors each year. This transformation will be a crucial part of our vision for Fargate and the whole city centre - unlocking all the potential Sheffield has to offer.”

The mixed-use space will also benefit from co-working spaces with a cafe and juice bar and a 200-capacity standing music venue. Event Central is funded by the Government’s Future High Streets Fund after Sheffield City Council's successful bid for £15.8m in funding in 2021 with plans to hopefully be delivered by March 2024.

As part of the wider Future High Streets Fund project, pocket parks will be introduced through Fargate. Sheffield City Council’s bid for the Future High Streets Fund has been supported by the University of Sheffield. These inputs included elements of the written bid as well as 3D-modelled visuals of the proposals for Fargate and Event Central, developed by Architectural and Urban Planning students.

Professor Vanessa Toulmin, Director of City and Culture, University of Sheffield and member of Sheffield’s Future High Street Fund Stakeholder Panel, said: “Delighted to hear we are another step closer to providing this vital event space for the wonderfully creative artists of the city to showcase their talents. The University of Sheffield has worked with multiple stakeholders and partners on behalf of the council to ensure that this prominent central space has the potential to benefit both the vibrancy of the city itself as well as the vibrancy of the cultural sector.”

The council is seeking an operator committed to developing and managing Event Central, as well as taking a lead on the regeneration of Fargate.

A drop-in session will be hosted at Event Central, on Thursday, October 20, from 11am-7pm, to showcase the proposed plans for Fargate. The council is working with commercial partners on a ‘Front Door Scheme’ to open upper floors on Fargate and increase and improve access for new homes and offices in key buildings.