Ex-department store sold ahead of auction

The former Debenhams in Sheffield city centre was due to go up for sale at auction on Wednesday

A former department store in Sheffield city centre which had been due to be sold at auction was snapped up before the sale.

The ex-Debenhams building on The Moor previously failed to sell in September when it was listed with an asking price of £850,000.

This time it was listed with a reserve price of just £1, but auctioneers said the building was sold to an unnamed buyer for an undisclosed sum ahead of the sale.

Jonathan Wright, from auctioneers Allsop, previously described the building as a "fantastic opportunity" but "complicated asset".

"No one wants the building to remain empty in the city centre. It needs someone to breathe new life into it," Mr Wright added.

According to the auctioneers' listing, 40 years remain on the lease for the site and it has fixed ground rent of £12,500 per year.

'Great spot'

Speaking ahead of the auction Mr Wright said there had been "so many people interested" in the building, with "varying ideas".

"Some want to keep it as retail; some want to keep the ground floor as retail with mixed use upstairs; and there was a discussion about a hotel," he said.

"It is a lot of space in a great spot in the city centre, but whoever buys it will need to have enough money to redevelop it as it is going to cost a substantial amount of money to get it back into a useable state.

"It is a fantastic opportunity, but it is a complicated asset with various stakeholders, including lease and freeholders, and you would need to get their approval to redevelop it."

More than 90 Debenhams stores were permanently closed in May 2021 after the company went into administration, leaving empty buildings in Sheffield, Meadowhall and Doncaster.

In 2023, Doncaster Council approved plans to convert the former Debenhams in the Frenchgate Centre into a six-screen cinema.

Debenhams at Meadowhall was taken over by Sports Direct in September 2024.

Retailer Boohoo bought the Debenhams name and website and now trades solely online.

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