The uncertainty over the future of Nottingham's landmark former Debenhams building has been labelled a 'disgraceful scandal' as it nears two years since its closure. The retailer in Long Row, Nottingham city centre, traded for the final time on May 4, 2021, before exiting the high street for good and leaving the Grade II-listed landmark vacant.
The site has been empty for nearly two years, with owners Altum Capital remaining silent on the future of the historic building. The ornate building, first constructed for Victorian entrepreneurs Mr W Griffin and J.T Spalding, has been on Long Row in some form for more than 180 years, yet its condition is now visibly deteriorating with cracked masonry on its columns, staining of its impressive façade, and grimy markings created by pigeons who sit on top of the redundant Debenhams lettering.
Conservationist Hilary Silvester, executive chair of Nottingham Civic Society, labelled the situation 'disgraceful'. "It's absolutely a shame and a scandal, when it's right at the centre of the city. We have our showpiece building in the Council House and the buildings around the square should be as notable and as well kept as that," Ms Silvester said.
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"It's a disgrace that in Nottingham, which is trying to improve and doing a grand job in some areas, this building is being neglected. It's something we should be proud of, and I realise that we cannot blame the council for what's happening to the building, but I do think they should be looking at it very carefully, and putting pressure on whoever owns it.
"It's a fairly recently listed building, we should not just turn our backs on it. The owners need to properly care for it, more effort should be made to find a new use for it - various uses like moving the council offices there and making it into apartments and shops have been suggested before.
"Mr Griffin and Mr Spalding wanted to create a grand department store for Nottingham, with the first part on Market Street being built up in 1872 and the later parts in 1919 and 1927, and it has been pretty well preserved up to this point. It's a very important and a very good building which should be an asset, let's not allow it to become a problem for the city and fall into disrepair because it's bad for the image of Nottingham."
Despite being contacted multiple times for previous stories, Altum Capital has not commented on the building's future since Debenhams closed. Altum Capital was again approached for comment but did not respond.
East Midlands Chamber, which represents businesses in the region, is dismayed at the dormancy of what it called a "major asset", and called on those responsible to put plans in place. Chief executive Scott Knowles said: “The closure of Debenhams left a gaping hole in a prime location and it’s sad to see such a major asset remain vacant and economically dormant two years later. This building should be regarded as being of significant strategic importance to Nottingham, given its towering presence within Old Market Square and the opportunity it presents to repurpose a former department store into something befitting of a modern-day city centre.
“We know the pandemic turbocharged pre-existing shopping trends towards online, with businesses like Debenhams feeling the full impact of this. While this doesn’t mean there is no longer space for high street retail, today’s cities must feature a healthy mix of living, leisure and working spaces to attract people.
“Ultimate responsibility for this building’s future lies with the property owner and local authority, but it would be great to hear some ideas come forward to bring this historic site back into use. Doing so can have a knock-on effect of spurring new investment across the city and, coupled with a series of other big developments happening nearby, showcase an exciting future for Nottingham.”
Nottingham residents were angered by the lack of activity at the building. Sheila Boyes, 65, and Kevin Boyes, 66, from Thorneywood, thought the situation was 'only getting worse'.
"It is a shame because it was sad when Debenhams closed down because we used to shop there," Mrs Boyes said.
Mr Boyes added: "Hopefully they'd turn it into a lot of smaller, different shops, a bit like how Debenhams used to be inside. It is such a lovely building, but at the moment it does not look good and does not make a good impression for those coming to the city."
Retiree Mary Murphy, 83, from Ruddington, said: "It was like magic back in the day, it was a brilliant place to be. I think the best thing they could do is turn it into flats.
"It can't be knocked down, and the state it is in now I think it would take a lot of work. It's such a shame looking at it now, it shouldn't be left like this."
Linda Pickering, 68, from Kimberley, said: "It is a great shame, you do not want to come into Nottingham to see buildings like this. It is a big corner of the square, it is important to the city."
David Pickering, 70, added: "People do talk about it and ask what is happening. It's frustrating that nothing is planned with it." Nottingham City Council was approached for comment.
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