Seventies sitcom ‘Are you being served?’ presented viewers with a familiar slice of life in a large department store, where everything you needed was sold. How times have changed. Now the department store, the crown jewel of many high streets across the UK, has disappeared. We are left with some impressive 20th century buildings, standing empty. Their future is now hotly debated. What next for the department store?

Luxury and service

Napoleon mockingly referred to the British as ‘a nation of shopkeepers’ yet the development of the department store changed shopping habits and created businesses which were the epitome of luxury and service. Fortnum and Mason, dates back to 1707, and is still trading. Their Vintage Champagne Hamper is yours for just £500.

Paris, Berlin, New York and all the major cities of the world featured flagship department stores from the mid 19th century onwards. These multi-storey buildings featured huge collections of goods on each floor, in elegant, refined surroundings with shop assistants, happy to share their expertise. The decline started in the twenty first century as people switched to online shopping and the pandemic finished off the department store for good.

Defunct

It started with BHS who went in 2016 and then they all toppled, one by one. In the category ‘Defunct stores of the United Kingdom’, the list is alarmingly long. The oldest department store chain was Debenhams, established in 1778 and liquidated in 2021, with a loss of 25,000 jobs. The Manchester branch was housed in the Art Deco style Rylands building, on the corner of Piccadilly Gardens. It stood empty and unloved after Debenhams left, as the cost of living crisis deepened.

A new life

 Rylands Manchester will soon rise out of the ashes of Debenhams. The developers stated ‘The transformation of Rylands into a modern mixed use development will breathe new life into one of Manchester’s most iconic buildings, creating a space that will be both functional and visually stunning.’ 

However getting this project off the ground has not been easy with the owners of the grade two-listed building, German investor AM Alpha changing developers mid project. New developers DOMIS are set to bring the ambitious project to completion. Jeffrey Bell Architects promise ‘comprehensive refurbishment of the former department store’ and a new four-storey rooftop extension. The upper floors will be converted into workspace, while the ground floor will include a shopping arcade.

 Urban Splash

A similar story has played out in Sheffield with the former John Lewis store being redeveloped. The developer Urban Splash will transform the building into a number of offices, shops and cafes. Closing department stores led to the loss of many jobs and an outpouring of nostalgia, yet it seems that a new life beckons. The old fashioned department store, like Grace Brothers in the tv sitcom, is now outdated, but these landmark buildings, in key city locations, have a bright future. 

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