IT has taken four long years of struggle and strife – and £1.2m of his own money.

But Huddersfield businessman Ghulam Rasool is finally close to realising his dream.

The Lindley-based entrepreneur will open his new designerwear retail store, Department Forty Four, at Westgate, in time to catch the Christmas trade.

Work on the stone-built three-storey building began in 2008 – on the site of Ghulam’s previous clothes store Destiny Designerwear – when he hoped to have the scheme completed within a year.

But the development was delayed following the credit crunch as banks cut back on funding.

For months, the imposing building was left half-finished and a towering crane stood idle as Ghulam saved money from the success of his other businesses to pump back into his pet project.

The scheme also met with unexpected snags. Early in the construction phase, engineers discovered a huge void beneath the building – believed to have been used as part of the neighbouring railway complex – and 300 cubic metres of cement had to be pumped into the foundations, which also required 100 tonnes of steelwork.

“The foundations are so strong now I could build a 50-floor skyscraper here if I wanted,” said Ghulam.

Earlier this year, the stone work was completed and work inside was able to progress.

Now, finishing touches are being made to the ground floor selling area and Ghulam hopes to have both the ground floor and basement – together providing about 5,000sq ft – trading over the next few days.

He said: “My original plan was to create a department store over four floors, including the basement, along the lines of Harvey Nichols, employing about 30 people.

“Now there will be two floors for men’s wear, women’s wear, children’s wear, a hair salon and a cafe and jobs for 10 to 15 people.

“I am waiting to see what to do with the first, second and third floors and keeping my options open whether to increase the retailing space or seek planning permission for apartments. We will probably make that decision after Christmas.”

Ghulam has already received plaudits – even before the business begins trading – for his decision to use Yorkshire stone from Crosland Hill for the building.

He said: “That’s what made me fall in love with Huddersfield. I love the stone and the architecture. I built my own house in stone and another 16 properties through my company. I wanted Department Forty Four to be in keeping with the streetscape.”

Ghulam is full of praise for Kirklees planning department and the support of then town centre manager David Wyles.

“They were fantastic,” he said. “They were very supportive. The planning department comes in for criticism sometimes, but they are more than willing to work with you. You get results.”

Ghulam kept costs down during the lengthy construction process by taking over as project manager.

Backing has also come from his brothers, Amjad Ali and Shakat Ali as well as his son Adnan, who is responsible for the design of the store’s signage and its interior.

Ghulam, 48, came to Huddersfield from Kashmir, aged 13.

“I started by doing paper rounds and was paid £2 a time,” he said. “When I’d saved some money I bought 70 pairs of jeans and sold them at Leeds market.”

He was a market trader for some years, going round the markets in northern England and Scotland and opened my first shop, Empire Jeans, at Kirkgate Market in Leeds.

Ghulam later opened clothing store Great Stuff in Huddersfield, which went on to become Destiny.

Now his business interests include retailing – with Rico and Ego in Huddersfield – property development and a firm supplying contact lens to opticians.

But creating his business empire was straightforward compared to building Department Forty Four. “It has been a struggle,” he said. “Anyone can do it with lots of money to throw at it, but I have had to take it more slowly.

“I am confident it will work. We have good footfall here with the bus station and the railway station – and they aren’t going to move. We aim to provide good service and quality products.”

Ghulam is less positive about the town’s prospects – unless Kirklees Council and local businesses work to make it more welcoming.

“There is still wealth in Huddersfield, but people go to Leeds or Manchester shopping because there isn’t enough to keep them here,” he said. “In another four or five years, Huddersfield could really be just pound shops and charity shops. We need the traders to start working together to bring top brands into Huddersfield and make it a unique place to shop.”

Prior to the Destiny clothing store on the site, it was a garden centre owned by Mallglade and prior to that a showroom for the Brockholes Motor Company.

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