Sheffield has a long list of famous, beloved and historic buildings, some of which have been empty for years.
Fortunately there is good news to report.
High profile voids in the city centre include Debenhams, Cole Brothers, the Salvation Army Citadel, the O2 Academy and the Old Town Hall.
Further out, they include Cornish Works in Kelham, No1 West Bar Square and Ecclesall Road Sunday School.
Of the above, most have progressed this year, although actually reopening may yet be a long way off.
Nevertheless, it allows us to imagine a time when they are alive again.
Debenhams on The Moor has been closed so long it's become almost invisible, but that could change. Owner NewRiver says it is in advanced talks with potential occupiers.
The old Cole Brothers department store in Barker's Pool has also been empty for five years.
In March, developer Urban Splash was granted permission to turn it into cafes, shops and offices.
Down at Sheffield station it’s not a building but a plot of land which has seen progress. Empty for 19 years, the two-acre compound at Sheaf Square is set to be redeveloped after the government announced £20m funding.
The cash, for ‘stalled sites’, will see offices built on Sheaf Square within five years, according to owner Homes England.
Popular live music venue, the O2 Academy on Arundel Gate is being repaired after crumbly concrete was discovered in the roof two years ago.
A reopening date must surely follow.
A long term empty and decaying - but historically important - building, Cornish Works in Kelham Island, is set to be converted into flats, Sheffield City Council announced earlier this year. It comes after it has stood empty for more than two decades.
There’s also good news for a new building: No1 West Bar Square. The seven-storey office on Corporation Street was starting to raise concerns after being empty for more than a year after it was finished.
In March, the DWP announced it was taking the entire building.
At a different scale, the former Henderson's Relish factory on Leavygreave Road has been empty for more than a decade. Now, owner Sheffield University is on site converting it for its own use.
The refurbishment and reopening of Park Hill flats has been going on for years. The latest update is that work on the Duke Street block is underway and it is set to be inhabited again from spring 2028, according to developer Urban Splash.
Accommodation of a very different kind also has a path to reopening.
Thornseat Lodge will be restored as a wedding venue.
The grand former hunting lodge on the moors above Bradfield has been empty for more than 30 years. It is now in the hands of the Hague family who hope to make a start within weeks.
The former Mappins Coffee House on London Road is set to be converted into shops, office and flats and the important facade restored.
Planning permission was granted in January after years empty. Built in 1877 by Sir Frederick Mappin, it was designed as a pioneering Victorian temperance venue for working families.
There is also good news down at Moorfoot, which is not technically empty, but heading that way. Sheffield City Council officially put it on the market as a residential conversion project in spring.
Now for the bad news, starting with the least encouraging: The Old Town Hall.
Owner Gary Ata has shown no interest in the iconic listed building on Waingate since he bought it in 2022. It is falling down, with floors and most recently part of the roof caving in.
Other sad city centre sites include the Salvation Army Citadel on Cross Burgess Street. It at least has a responsible owner in Sheffield City Council which bought it in 2024, although there is ‘no update’ currently.
Meanwhile, Next closed on Fargate in 2019. It was demolished in 2022 leaving a big gap on a once premium retail street.
And sticking with the city centre, The Curzon Cinema is newly empty and boarded up after the George Street venue closed suddenly in June.
And finally, the Fulwood House NHS site is on the market after a second attempt to sell it fell through. It is the target of arsonists and vandals. The former Endcliffe Sunday School on Ecclesall Road was set to be sold at auction last month but attracted no bids and has been withdrawn from sale.
And at Meadowhall the old Top Shop and Top Man unit has been empty since early 2021.
1. Good news
Debenhams on The Moor has been closed so long it's become almost invisible, but that could change. Owner NewRiver says it is in advanced talks with potential occupiers. | IM Photo: dw
2. Good news
The old John Lewis and Cole Brothers department store on Barker's Pool has been empty for five years. Developer Urban Splash was in March granted permission to turn it into cafes, shops and offices. | Urban Splash
3. Good news
A huge empty plot at Sheffield station - empty for 19 years - is set to be redeveloped after the government announced £20m funding. The cash, for ‘stalled sites’, will see offices built on Sheaf Square within five years, according to owner Homes England. | IM Photo: dw
4. Good news
Popular live music venue, the O2 Academy on Arundel Gate is being repaired and a reopening date must follow soon. It was closed by crumbly concrete in the roof two years ago. | IM Photo: dw