Sheffield city centre: Fargate shop set to be transformed with £900,000 grant

The premises will be given a new lease of life thanks to a £900,000 grant from Sheffield Council.

Almost £16m is being spent on Fargate and High Street through the Government’s Future High Streets Fund.

The funding will refurbish 20-26 Fargate as an Events Hub and enhance the street scene for outdoor events, to reduce crime and improve green transport links.

Pret a Manger was the previous tenant in the building

Part of the funding will be used for the Front Door Scheme to open upper floor access and improve frontage to Fargate by providing grants for appropriate projects.

The first project under the Front Door Scheme is the refurbishment of 33-35 Fargate, the former Superdrug store.

The vacant building is owned by MRC Pension Trust, who will receive the grant to convert the building into flexible offices and co-working accommodation.

The scheme already has planning permission and improvements include new lifts installed from the ground floor lobby to access each floor and a new entrance lobby with access straight off Fargate.

Council officer Matt Hayman said: “The scheme will bring more than 20,000ft of floor space back into use through a grant funding agreement with the building owners

“Grant funding will secure private investment in Fargate and High Street to deliver economic growth, jobs and housing by accessing, repurposing and retrofitting vacant buildings for new residential, leisure, workspace and community uses alongside existing retail.

“The investment – alongside the wider programme of interventions – will contribute to attracting an additional 110,000 visitors to the city centre and creating up to 505 jobs.

“Grant funding to the landowner will secure private sector investment in the building’s refurbishment, creating commercial space for new uses and jobs on Fargate.

“As the first project to receive funding through the Front Door Scheme, it is anticipated the investment will act as a demonstrator to other building owners with vacant and underused property, particularly on the upper floors.”

Works is due to start this month and be completed by the summer 2022.