Kirklees Council has appointed the contractor for its upcoming renovations to the Dewsbury Arcade – a key part of the Dewsbury Blueprint.
The Dewsbury Arcade is a Grade II Listed building, which has been a focal point in Dewsbury town centre since 1899 but has now stood empty for the best part of a decade. The arcade is a key focus of the Dewsbury Blueprint, which lays out Kirklees Council’s big plans for investment in Dewsbury over the next decade and beyond.
The arcade is set to reopen as the UK’s first ever community-run shopping centre, following the massive success of the Arcade Group – a community business formed specifically to lease and manage the building, in their public fundraising last year.
Kirklees Council has appointed William Birch Construction as the contractor set to undertake the work, which will see the much-loved arcade restored to its former glory and brought back into regular use.
The renovations needed to reopen the arcade are being funded by £4.5 million from the National Heritage Lottery Fund, grants from the Dewsbury Town Deal Board and West Yorkshire Combined Authority, support from the government’s Getting Building Fund, and capital funding from the council.
Once reopened, the Arcade Group will take on management and operation of the business side of the arcade without further financial input from the council.
Construction is planned to begin within the next few months – and the arcade should be reopened by summer 2025.
Councillor Cathy Scott, Leader of Kirklees Council and Ward Councillor for Dewsbury East, says: “The Dewsbury Arcade is a project I’m tremendously excited about, because it’s so steeped in feeling from local people – including myself.
“Those of us who’ve lived in Dewsbury for a long time remember that beautiful building through the years, and I’m absolutely passionate about it remaining a beating heart of our town centre.
“I’m glad we’re working with a company that are Yorkshire-based, and have a history of future-proofing treasured heritage buildings like this one whilst bringing them into the twenty-first century.
“With the passion of local people, the hard work of the Arcade Group, and the support of our other blueprint projects like Dewsbury Market – which should, in perfect timing, be underway just as we’re looking to reopen the arcade – this can once again be a great place for people to enjoy, and for businesses to thrive.”
Gemma Shahjahan, Business Development Director for William Birch Construction, says: “We are delighted to be working with Kirklees Council on this treasured building in Dewsbury, and are looking forward to starting onsite in the coming weeks.
“The plans to bring the arcade back to life are really exciting, and our teams are looking forward to being part of that journey in what is a special year for our business – celebrating 150 years!”
Keith Ramsay, Chair of the Dewsbury Town Deal Board, says: “We’re very pleased to see William Birch come on board. The history and heritage of the Dewsbury Arcade is something the Town Board, and the people of Dewsbury, are incredibly passionate about – we don’t just want to see the arcade brought back to life, we want to see it restored and preserved for the future.
“As with all these plans for the town centre, we want to be carrying our heritage forward in a way that works for the modern-day visitor, and works with all the other Dewsbury Blueprint projects to bring new life to the town centre as a whole.”
Chris Hill, Co-Founder of the Arcade Group, says: “We’ve been close to this project, and it’s been close to our hearts, for a very long time now, so it’s incredibly exciting to be so close to work starting onsite.
“Once the transformation starts, the whole project will become real to people – they’ll start seeing the changes before their eyes. We’re having very exciting conversations with traders potentially looking to take up residence in the arcade once it reopens, and this update will definitely spur on these conversations – it’s an exciting time!”
