The Dewsbury Arcade will reopen on 5 September following a major restoration of the Grade-II listed Victorian building. The grand opening will include live performances and family activities.
Kirklees Council purchased the arcade in 2020 after it had stood empty for four years. The restoration has transformed it into the UK's first community-run shopping centre, a collaboration between Dewsbury Neighbourhood Board, the Arcade Group and the council.
Restoration challenges
Restoration work began in April 2024 with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The original autumn 2025 opening date was delayed due to issues with rot and decay that proved "far more significant" than initially anticipated.
Arcade manager Jenny Holden Stokes said the team took care during restoration to preserve Victorian features. "We've been very careful with the restoration and a lot of it does look the same, especially the glass roof which looks amazing from inside the building, so that's a real legacy story," she said.
New community spaces and traders
Alongside Victorian features, the arcade now includes a community room, event space and meeting room available for hire. The arcade is currently seeking independent and local traders to lease shop units.
Holden Stokes said the arcade wants to attract businesses offering something different to existing Dewsbury shops. "We want to attract businesses which are a bit different to anywhere else, for example we have a Pokemon shop which specialises in Pokemon cards, things that are a little bit niche and being independent and local is important to us as well," she said.
She noted that traders have expressed interest in a coffee shop, a shoe shop and a music shop — types of business previously located in the arcade.
Wider town centre plans
The Arcade is the first project in Kirklees Council's 10-year town centre investment plan, which also includes refurbishment of the market, creation of green space and improved security.
