Huddersfield closures: ‘Optimism’ for Huddersfield town centre...

Despite some well-known figures leaving the city recently and in the near future, Huddersfield BID has expressed

hope for the city.

With the closing of KFC imminent and the loss of BrewDog and the Slug & Lettuce, Huddersfield has had a difficult

few weeks. Following the Medicare Health Check Center’s departure last month, another unit of the Kingsgate Centre

was left unoccupied. The next departure is scheduled for July.

Customers were terrified for the future of their local high street after the town lost its House of Fraser, Wilko, and

WHSmith.

Retail offerings may be shifting, but the town is receiving a lot of investment and is at the centre of a number of

ambitious regeneration projects, including the George Hotel expansion, Kingsgate Leisure, and the Huddersfield

Blueprint and Cultural Heart. The town is also reaping the benefits of the multibillion-pound Transpennine Route

Upgrade, which will see the landmark railway station undergo a £70 million makeover and the Northumberland

Street open market receive a £16.5 million makeover thanks to government support.

The recent losses are seen by Huddersfield BID as part of a national trend and do not raise any serious worries. “It is

disappointing that we have lost a couple of big names in the town, but these are national decisions that will affect

other towns and cities in the UK, so their departure from the high street is not unique to Huddersfield,” a

spokeswoman said.

The George Hotel, Kingsgate, and Cultural Heart development plans are among the projects that Huddersfield BID is

actively working to revitalise the town centre and support businesses in the short term. These developments

recognise that towns like ours have an opportunity to adapt and evolve in response to shifting retail trends.

Attracting Footfall by delivering events that draw people into the town centre, such as Get Your Geek on, Night Markets and Themed trails

Supporting Local Businesses: We provide resources, training, and promotions to help independent businesses develop their skills and exposure. We provide free training to levy payers and have developed a Town Centre Digital Hub App which businesses can advertise on, as well as post information about offers and events. This app is free for visitors to download

Improving the Environment: Our rangers jet wash the town centre streets, remove graffiti from buildings and gum from the pavements. These efforts ensure that when visitors, business owners and residents are in the town it’s a clean and welcoming place. We will be working with Kirklees Council to improve decorative lighting, void unit shop fronts and the planting around town.

We should be proud of the abundance of architecture in Huddersfield’s town centre, and this summer’s Urban Artist

competition will be a celebration of our community.

“Huddersfield BID intends to keep its program of jet washing, graffiti removal, and chewing gum cleaning going

while concentrating on its stated goals, supporting local building developments, and hosting events to increase foot

traffic in the town. We are excited about what our town may bring in the future.

Huddersfield closures: ‘Optimism’ for Huddersfield town centre despite raft of recent closures