Funding campaign to launch in support of arcade plans

A fundraising campaign is set to launch to support plans to bring a vacant Victorian arcade in Dewsbury back into use.The arcade has been vacant since 2016 following several years of declining footfall and investment.Kirklees Council bought the space in 2020 with the aim to halt any further decline of the building and, following a successful bid to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, £4.5m has been awarded to fully refurbish the arcade.The Arcade Group – comprised of volunteers from the local community – has agreed to take a ten-year lease from the Council once refurbishment work has been completed and is fundraising a target of £150,000 to finance the business.Businesses and the local community of Dewsbury are being asked to help raise £150,000 in return for shares in the first community-run shopping centre in the UK. Once refurbishment works have been completed, investors will have a say in how the arcade is run.A campaign is set to launch on Crowdfund tomorrow (12 October 2023), and ill be active for four weeks.Chris Hill, development director at the Arcade Group, said: “This is a really exciting and unique project and one which we hope the whole community in Dewsbury can support. We firmly believe the rejuvenation of the Arcade will massively enhance the town centre and act as a catalyst for further investment and improvements. We hope it will help in the renaissance of Dewsbury.”The Arcade will be run by the community for the community and we’ve been really encouraged with the feedback so far.”Once restored, The Arcade will have 16 smaller shop units, four larger spaces and six upstairs studios suitable for artists or offices.Councillor Cathy Scott, leader of Kirklees Council, added: “The council’s purchase of the arcade was one of the first major steps in our Dewsbury Blueprint plans, and we’re all incredibly excited to see it returned to its former glory. Our aim with each and every development is to create improvements that are sustainable, which will benefit the town for many years to come, and will bring a renewed sense of joy and pride to the local community. As the first community-run shopping centre in the UK, the Dewsbury Arcade would do just that.”