The Glassworks

Any more info on any new units on the offing at the glassworks? Since the original splurge and excitement it’s really died off quite substantially and there is quite a few empty units with little to no news coming out of their for months other that the extension to the nhs unit.

Also noticing more and more shops emptying im the centre away from the glassworks, I love how the town looks now but I admit I’m getting worried at the amount of units that are currently empty

 

Wonder if the plan is still go knock down the bit where Boots is and make it a public realm? Also wonder if so what the timescale is? If it’s to be any time soon joined up planning would have Boots moving into M&S when that closes otherwise we might lose Boots , probably room I’m Alhambra but that’s privately owned

 

from the very little I know there’s (sadly) no plans for the boots building l, what you’re referring to is the former sports direct building Superdrug and now shoe zone buildings

the plan as far as I’m aware is to knock duwn and like you say extend the public realm but I believe this is a few years away as they have just given shoe zone a 2 year lease. Also Superdrug have yet to vacate and it’s looking likely that they will leave the town as no suitable location available apparently although I’m sure they could go in to the old tkmax unit in the Alhambra if they really wanted too

As I say I’m not really that privy just what little I know

 

A lot of the town needs flattening, it's spread over a too bigger area. I think that's what they're doing with the public areas. We need to start building up and focussing on squeezing everything into one area.

 

Like a souless City you mean.Building up, no thanks

 

The M&S unit will be empty soon enall.

 

One of my only gripes about the Glassworks is the automatic doors on all the units, it's freezing in Black and White in winter, The Salthouse he's had to build an inner door because that was also freezing and currently sat in 200 degrees coffee and everytime someone walks past the shop its opening and shutting with a right bang!. If l were the owners I'd be taking them off.

 

As far as I’m aware it’s only the old BHS building they’re wanting to demolish. Perhaps some of those behind that too, but it’s only to create some open green space in the town centre and not for anything new. I’d not seen any mention of the Boots building being demolished - it’s certainly not in any plans to demolish that whole side of Cheapside. The old TK Maxx in The Alhambra is available, but I’d recently seen some plans to potentially split that into smaller units. Superdrug still need to relocate before the BHS building can go anyway and there isn’t a unit big enough for them in The Glassworks - so I doubt there is for Boots either. I wouldn’t expect anything anytime soon for further demolition.

From what I hear the M&S building is in a pretty bad state in some places. I had heard that Poundland were interested in it - condensing the two stores they have into one slightly larger store in a more prominent place, although that was just a ‘rumour’.

With regards to The Glassworks, they’re claiming it’s 90% let. There aren’t that many empty units left - 4 small shopping units, 1 food and beverage unit, and 1 leisure unit. When you consider Meadowhall has empty units, it’s not that unusual.

 

It’s because most of them were initially designed as retail units, and is extra spend at fit out that isn’t always ‘necessary’.

All the units are leased as shells and it’s down to the tenant to fit out accordingly. Doesn’t the Salt House have manual doors anyway? They’re charging enough for poor cocktails and terrible service to pay for the extra door at least!

 

TGIs tonight for the young uns birthday, 20-30 folk in for a Weds night in terrible weather, even more in Botanist and plenty coming out of the cinema. Looks like folk are starting to use the facilities.

 

We went to Botanist last week and there were three parties in - a hen do, a baby shower and a works leaving do. It's great to see the town centre starting to flourish again after being on its proverbial arse for so long.

 

So it looks like Boom Battle Bar is no longer going ahead. Both the leisure units on the upper floors are now showing as available on the centre map. Hardly surprising given there’d been no updates for quite some time, and of course there was no official announcement, but the unit had been showing in legals and they had applied for a premises licence, so they’ve definitely pulled out at some stage which is disappointing.

As others have said, it’s great to see the town centre thriving, but it’ll be a shame if they can’t find tenants for the empty units. I’m still surprised the remaining restaurant unit next to Nando’s and The Salt House isn’t occupied yet.

 

Me too, I thought someone would have taken it on by now

 

Needs to be something bespoke I’d say Urban Burger never seems to have anyone in we have enough fast food type places now

 

Crying out for a proper craft ale place imo, among the numerous cocktail places. Surprised and a bit disappointed the likes of Nailmaker and Acorn haven't got an outlet in town, or the chaps that have the Anvil Arms and Darton Tap - assume due to rental costs, which I imagine will be even higher at Glassworks than elsewhere in town

 

The chap that has the Anvil also owns Nailmaker brewery , think a Craft Asylum ( Ossett/Salt brewery) would be good

 

The Old No 7 is an Acorn pub.

 

Is it still? Could've sworn I heard it was no longer owned by Acorn and was now an independent concern

 

Not been owned by Acorn for over a year, although they still have Acorn beer.
Just recently been sold again

 

There is the Jolly Tap at the bottom of the Arcade, owned by Jolly Boys Brewery and opposite that Spiral City. Heaven and Ale is a 10 minute walk from the town centre