Former department store to become £4m gaming hub

Artist's impression of new gaming hub in Whitehaven

A former department store is to be turned into a £4m gaming hub.

The old Whittles building in Whitehaven, Cumbria, will hold a gaming cafe, a digital recording studio and a virtual reality (VR) area.

The four-floor space will also offer teaching in coding and gaming skills.

Cumberland Council Labour leader Mark Fryer said it was "great news for Whitehaven".

The hub is being funded by nuclear waste management firm Sellafield, BT and developer BEC.

Construction will start in summer next year and the building is expected to open in the second half of 2025.

Samuel Parr, a GCSE student at nearby Whitehaven Academy, told BBC Radio Cumbria it would be a great way to “develop all your technical skills while in a social setting”.

Mr Fryer said that the project would be a “total transformation” of the former Whittles building.

He said the hub would provide “innovative” learning experiences and would help regenerate the town centre.

“Some of our town centres are just lacking and this will be a fantastic addition for Whitehaven," he said.