The closure of five major shops in the last 10 years has seen the once vibrant St Stephens Street at risk of becoming a shadow of its former self. BETHANY WALES finds out what the future could hold for the gateway into Norwich.
The first signs of trouble on St Stephens Street came in 2014, when QD announced it was shutting its flagship store on the street following a “temporary” two year closure.
The company’s rival, Pound Land, snapped up the space the following year, but subsequent empty lots would not be so lucky.
Two years later, department store BHS - which had held a prime position on the street since 1962 - closed, leaving a 45,000 sq ft empty shell which remains unoccupied.
In 2020, high street giant Debenhams also closed, followed by its neighbour, Shoe Zone, in 2022.
This week Wilko became the latest victim, closing its doors for the last time and adding a fourth empty lot to the street.
And while most people agree that the unoccupied sites are an eyesore, people in Norwich are divided over what should happen next.
‘A bit grotty’
Norwich City Council’s latest attempt to renew the road saw it spend £6.1m on new bus parking bays, wider pavements, crossing points and seating.
But many in the city believe the work - which saw the street closed for more than nine months - was a waste of time and money.
Alice Southwell, 32, who lives in Costessey, said: “I literally can’t see a difference.
“It’s still just a bit grotty down here.”
Jacob Stride, 54, from Blofield, agreed, adding: “I’m angry that they’ve spent all this money on fashionable ideas but not got to the core of the problem.
“It’s just for show, there’s no substance to it.”
Mandy Tindall, 24, who lives on Unthank Road, said: “I think part of the problem is that the shops down here don’t appeal to the younger generation.
“We’re not into fast fashion, we want to see something different.
“If they could get some local independent brands in those spaces you’d start seeing more interest I think, it would change the area’s reputation.”
Sally Henshaw, manager at independent shoe shop Mr Shoes, on St Stephens Street, said she would also like to see something more creative added to the street.
She said: “They’ve spent all this money renewing it but it hasn’t got to the heart of the problem which is that it looks awful and there’s nothing to draw people in.
“I would love to see an indoor marketplace set up in one of the empty units, something that gives artists and independent makers a platform.
“They’ve done it in other cities and it would be very ‘Norwich’ too.”
Andrew Cunningham, 68, from Norwich, thinks the empty units should be used for the good of the community.
He said: “You’ve got all this space and the city is crying out for things like GPs and dentists.
“It would be nice to see something go in that’s actually for the benefit of local people.
“Put a homeless shelter in there. Do something helpful.”
‘’Best place in Norwich’
Despite the empty units, not everyone in the city thinks St Stephens needs to change.
Chris Souris, 28, has worked at Snappy Snaps on the street for 10 years and said although seeing the empty buildings is a “scary reminder of how hard it is for businesses”, he said he has a soft spot for the road.
He said: “I think it’s one of the best places in Norwich, especially at Christmas when it’s really busy with shoppers.
“They’ve been trying hard to make it look good and I think it’s working.
“The only way it could be improved would be pedestrianising it, but realistically where else can the buses go?”
Eva Gutmane, who works at the YMCA shop on St Stephens Street, agreed.
She said: “It’s really nice to be here, we’re always busy and there’s a lot of regulars.
“I think the work they’ve done has made it a lovely street now. It’s certainly improved.
“It’s also helpful being so close to all the bus stops, that’s very good for business.”
Expert analysis
Guy Gowing, managing partner at Arnolds Keys
"St Stephens street was a typical post-war reconstruction - a very long, utilitarian street of fairly bland shopfronts.
"The problem is that retail is changing. We're seeing more demand for experiential retailing, where people can go and enjoy the shopping process.
"They don't want to go to a bland shopping street, so the coming years could be tough for St Stephens.
"Losing Wilko is a big blow because it's what we call an anchor store. That means a shop at the end of the road that will keep pedestrians walking from one end to the other.
"It might make sense to change the use of that site now. A leisure offering would be ideal, especially because St Stephens is arguably better placed for that type of business than an industrial estate because it's in the city centre where the people are.
"Change is painful and it doesn't look great at the moment with the empty shopfronts. I predict we will see the street get shorter, but a lot more exciting."
What's happening with the Debenhams building?
The future of the former Debenhams building has been shrouded in mystery since the department store closed three years ago.
Stanford Real Estate bought the site in 2021, but kept quiet about its plans until this summer when it revealed it intended to demolish part of the unit to make way for student flats.
Under the plans - which Norwich City Council said are still being drawn up - the bulk of the building would be knocked down but the basement and ground floor would be kept.
A new building, divided into different sections, would be constructed on the rest of the site.
The first two floors of the newly constructed building would be turned into shops, but the rest of the new site would become a 400-bed accommodation complex for students.
Developers have been told they would need to provide evidence that there is a need for student accommodation and that the proposed loss of retail floor space is acceptable in order for the plans to be approved.
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