Milestone reached in £17m project to develop old shop

The building was bought by Great Yarmouth Borough Council after Beales went into administration

Guests got a first look at progress on a £17m refurbishment of a former department store.

Palmers, in Market Place, Norfolk, opened in 1837 but closed in March 2020, and was taken over by Beales before it went into administration. It was bought by Great Yarmouth Borough Council in 2021 who planned to turn it into The Place - a library and learning centre offering diplomas, degrees, courses and community services.

In a topping out ceremony on Friday, beer was poured over the roof by the High Steward of Great Yarmouth as guests marked the key milestone.

A spokesperson for the authority said: "Seeing the progress that has been made as work continues is extremely inspiring."

The spokesperson added that the transformation of the derelict building was a "key component" of regeneration plans for the seaside town.

"Raising the aspirations of those in our borough via educational opportunities is absolutely vital," they said.

Funding for the £17m project came from the government's Town Deal, Future High Streets Fund, East Coast College, the University of Suffolk and Norfolk County Council.

Professor Helen Langton said offering courses at the new building would be "fantastic" for the population

East Coast College and the University of Suffolk would use the site to offer degree and diploma courses and higher education.

Professor Helen Langton, vice chancellor and chief executive of the University of Suffolk, said the potential of the new campus in Great Yarmouth has "huge" potential.

"We know that we are in a rural and coastal area where travelling to and from our main campus in Ipswich is a real challenge so being able to open a university centre here in Great Yarmouth is fantastic for the population," she said.

"It gives so much more access and participation opportunities over a range of courses in a way that people around here can't access at the moment."

The Place is due to open in January 2025.