Dewsbury Arcade
Built in 1899, the Grade II listed building had stood empty since 2016, until it was purchased by us in 2020. It became one of the first major projects to form part of the Dewsbury Blueprint. Dewsbury Blueprint.
Working in collaboration with the Dewsbury Neighbourhood Board and the Arcade Group, the historic building has undergone intense restoration works, preserving its architecture.
The Grade II listed building was re-opened in September 2026 as visitors were able to see first-hand the transformation and meet the independent tenants have decided to make the arcade their new home.
The plans
The renovations have enabled the arcade to reopen as the UK's first community-run shopping centre, leased and managed by the Arcade Board - a community business formed specifically for this purpose.
Now renovated, the arcade has 16 small shop units and four larger ones, as well as six upstairs studios which could be used by artists, as office spaces or for events.
Our aim was to restore and maintain the Grade II Listed building's historic architecture, future-proofing a piece of Dewsbury's history whilst bringing the much-loved shopping centre back into use.
For this reason, William Birch & Sons a Yorkshire-based construction company specialising in restoring heritage buildings undertook the construction work.
Restoration of the arcade's roof was one of the most exciting aspects of the renovation and is a recognisable feature, letting in natural light and creating a warm, bright atmosphere.
Renovation work was carried out by Standard Patent Glazing, a Dewsbury-based company that installed the original glazed roof of the Grade II listed building back when the arcade first opened in 1899.
Funding
Work for the project was funded by £4.5million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund , grants from the Dewsbury Town Board and West Yorkshire Combined Authority, support from the government's Getting Building Fund , and capital funding from the council.
Now reopened, the shopping centre will be managed by the Arcade Board without further financial input from the council.
