John Lewis: heritage groups’ rally call to retain Grade II listed landmark

The Sheffield Society of Architects and the Sheffield Civic Trust organised the event which will take place on Thursday, September 8 from 1.30pm to 7pm at Upper Chapel’s Channing Hall.

In a statement, they said: “Recently, members of the Sheffield Society of Architects and Sheffield Civic Trust, amongst other local and national advisory groups, were signatories of a letter published in the local media, calling for the John Lewis building to be retained, rather than demolished.

“Laden with concern over its historical and architectural significance, and with hefty concerns about the environmental impact of demolishing such a carbon heavy structure, we believe that there is life in the building yet and its sensitive re-use is critical for the redevelopment of Sheffield city centre.

“This is a rallying call. If you agree, and want your voice to be heard; join us and put forward your ideas to our city council.”

The event will include a presentation on the most up-to-date news on the building by the council’s regeneration team then attendees will be divided into groups to discuss the future of the building.

Proposals will later be presented to the group then documented to be passed on to the council.

Organisers said anyone with questions should get in touch via [email protected].

They added: “We are very keen to attract attendance from a wide range of backgrounds. You do not need to be a built environment professional to join us. If you have an interest in the future of the Cole Brothers / John Lewis Sheffield building, we welcome you to join in with a collaborative afternoon of lively talk and design.”

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It follows Historic England’s decision to give Grade II listed status to the 60-year-old landmark in Barker’s Pool – formerly known as Cole Brothers.

This decision – which gives the site extra protection against demolition or significant alteration – came as the council was in the process of selling it off to developers.