One of Huddersfield’s best-known buildings, the old Co-operative building on New Street, is still up for sale – almost 18 months after it was put on the market.
The dilapidated, five-storey building opened as a Co-op Departmental Store in 1936 but has been not been used since 2004. Its last use was a nightclub, Club Heaven & Hell.
In December last year Kirklees Council’s regeneration chief Clr Peter McBride revealed four bidders had shown an interest in the premises. Eventually they were whittled down to a “preferred developer” whose identity remains a mystery.
The Examiner understands the plans included redevelopment of the building as a mixture of apartments as well as a restaurant.
A spokesman for property agents Walker Singleton said he could not say why it was taking so long for a deal to be reached or whether one would be forthcoming.
A Huddersfield businessman, who did not want to be named, said he thought the council would have a hard job negotiating its sale. He said: “Even if they were to give it away for £1 whoever took it on would need to spend a fortune simply on weatherproofing it.
“It’s a massive building. But I don’t know why they are not re-marketing it. I do find it very odd that it has been under offer for 18 months.”
