Work finally starts on removing Chapel Walk scaffolding in Sheffield

The scaffolding has been an eyesore on the precinct for over three years. Traders say they have lost business as shoppers avoided the once busy street

Headoffice3, the principal contractor, has now started to drop the scaffolding. It was erected in 2017 by a previous contractor while the building over Paperchase is converted into apartments.

A hoist on the Fargate side will remain until work is fully completed in another few months.

Carl Dunne, who owns the shop Cards and Gifts and has campaigned for years about the scaffolding, was critical of the lengthy delays with the project.

He said: “As of this September, we will be going into the fourth year for this scaffolding. They built and opened Meadowhall in the same amount of time.

“Meadowhall is a mini city and they built it from the foundations up and opened it to the public in the same amount of time it has taken to refurbish this one building.”

Mr Dunne said traders had received no support from the council, despite repeated requests for help. “The council does everything to help big companies like HSBC open in the city centre yet they put two fingers up at independent traders.”

Headoffice3 said the project had been “traumatic” as they took on the work following a number of problems with previous contractors.

The facade on Chapel Walk has been completed so the scaffolding there can come down.

The final facade should be completed over Fargate in a few months and the last part of the scaffold can be removed.

Glen Harding, chief executive of Headoffice3 said: “This has been a traumatic experience for us however, at least we are seeing a lot of commitment, the investors have been very good

and we’re confident funding will soon be released to allow us to go full steam at the entire works.”

The Star approached Sheffield Council last week to find out when all the scaffolding will be removed but the authority has yet to respond to our request.