An English department store demo could create a new special historic status for former retail palaces across the UK

2022-08-24T12:48:00-04:00

Historic England is taking action as preservation advocates in the country prepare for what could be a seminal decision that might alter the face of building conservation in the UK for years to come.

More than 50% of the country's historic department stores have reportedly closed since 2015, leading proponents of their adaptive reuse (including The Guardian critic Oliver Wainwright) to successfully petition against the proposed demolition of a landmark Marks & Spencer outpost on Oxford Street in Central London. Architects, led by Julia Barfield, Sarah Wigglesworth, and Stirling Medalist Steve Tompkins have been lining up with the group to voice their support for retrofitting ahead of an October inquiry into the matter that was called recently by Communities Secretary Michael Gove. Many see this as a potential public rallying cry for retrofit projects throughout the country.

Previously on Archinect: Save Britain's Heritage details threats faced by landmark department stores

A group c...

Save Britain's Heritage details threats faced by landmark department stores

2022-04-06T14:41:00-04:00

At least 18 “high street titans” – architecturally significant department stores that have fallen victim to profound changes in shopping patterns – are at risk of being permanently lost, according to a new report. But these “cathedrals of commerce”, as Émile Zola described them in his 1883 novel The Ladies’ Paradise, should be granted new lives – as art galleries, residential housing, community hubs and social spaces, says Save Britain’s Heritage.

The report Departing Stores: Emporia at Risk details the threats to department stores across the UK and what can be done to save these spaces. It covers 46 landmark department stores in town and city centers, some of which have been restored or developed while maintaining their architectural heritage. Others, however, have been left vacant and are at risk of decay or demolition. In addition, according to the British Retail Consortium and Local Data Company, there were 237 vacant department stores in the UK as of mid-2021.

The popularity of department stores has sharply declined with the proliferation of online shopping, which was exacerbated by the onset of the pandemic. The Guardian notes that in the first quarter of 2021, overall retail vacancy sat at a five-year high of 14.1%. In defense of department stores, the report hails their architectural and historical merit. Now, “the race is on to identify and assess these buildings,” according to Marcus Binney, executive president of ...

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An English department store demo could create a new special historic status for former retail palaces across the UK

Save Britain's Heritage details threats faced by landmark department stores