Guildhall closure?

Tumble weed

Well-Known Forumite
Thought this deserved its own thread really due it being such a big part of the town.

Turns out it's been sold and the new owners want bistro bars and boutiques facing the high street , and internally all apartments, I'd imagine the gym will get a stay of execution as it'll add something for the tenants.

What a blow for the town.

These won't even be priced for the locals to afford with a glamorous view of the church.



Edit - Question mark added to thread title, until 'official' information becomes available.
 
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proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
The Guildhall started to fade as soon as they removed the benches and how many decades ago was that...

Haven't been in in probably three years as there just wasn't anything of interest in there any longer.

I miss what was there before it. The Guildhall itself I couldn't care less about.
 

c0tt0nt0p

Well-Known Forumite
Thought this deserved its own thread really due it being such a big part of the town.

Turns out it's been sold and the new owners want bistro bars and boutiques facing the high street , and internally all apartments, I'd imagine the gym will get a stay of execution as it'll add something for the tenants.

What a blow for the town.

These won't even be priced for the locals to afford with a glamorous view of the church.
But we were promised a food court ?!?
#confused
 

EasMid

Well-Known Forumite
Bistro bars & boutiques facing the high street??
But we’ve already got 2 Mcdonslds & 2 Weatherspoons in the town.
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
I've just read on STIG that Clarks are closing after today and The Works a week tomorrow.

I use Clarks a lot, so hoping they are going to be opening up elsewhere in town .

Used to use The Card Factory , and occassionally The Works for collecting books ordered on-line during covid times .

Also regularly used to use the Eurochange for my holiday money .

Other than that I've only ever ventured further through to get to the market loos over the past few years.
 

Mudgie

Well-Known Forumite
I've just read on STIG that Clarks are closing after today and The Works a week tomorrow.

I use Clarks a lot, so hoping they are going to be opening up elsewhere in town .

Used to use The Card Factory , and occassionally The Works for collecting books ordered on-line during covid times .

Also regularly used to use the Eurochange for my holiday money .

Other than that I've only ever ventured further through to get to the market loos over the past few years.
I remember there being several shoe shops in Stafford town centre, maybe with shoes being made here, when I moved here in 1973.
Will there be any remaining after Clarks closes ?
 

Wormella

Well-Known Forumite
I always forget all the shops on the outside count as the guildhall. We already knew there were plans to move the market somewhere and there is plenty of retail spaces of all sizes if any shop wanted to relocate in town.

It makes a lot of sense to change the direction of it, since clearly big indoor retail spaces like the guildhall weren't doing that well before the pandemic and don't look like they are about to pick up any time soon.

And it's clear from the amount of empty units by the odeon casual dining isn't going to save anything.

I hope the people affected find new jobs.
 

cj1

Well-Known Forumite
And it's clear from the amount of empty units by the odeon casual dining isn't going to save anything.
It was a pity there were so many delays in getting it built as it was fully pre let, but due to construction delays they all pulled out. Can't see them being let any time soon given the fall out of the pandemic, lockdowns and the high Street dying on its feet.
 

littleme

250,000th poster!
I remember there being several shoe shops in Stafford town centre, maybe with shoes being made here, when I moved here in 1973.
Will there be any remaining after Clarks closes ?
I think I heard even shoe shed have gone? (by Tranquility, & the vets 4 pets).
 
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Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
There was a time when people complained about how many shoe shops there were in town.

Not just in Stafford.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy even referred to the 'Shoe Event Horizon'...
 

gilbert grape

Well-Known Forumite
I've read a lot of views and claims to what is happening so I'll be interested to see what actually happens and what those, that are way off the mark, have to say afterwards!
Turning such an area or structure into accommodation throws up many questions like access and egress, lighting, security, while "using some of it for xxxxx" poses other issues as units all have allocate access and delivery areas.
I guess we will find out soon.
 

Cirrus

Well-Known Forumite
Wasn't it the plan a year or two ago to develop all around the Shoe shed area with housing and offices?
Maybe Freeman Hardy Willis will return
 

Cue

Well-Known Forumite
The Guildhall started to fade as soon as they removed the benches and how many decades ago was that...

Haven't been in in probably three years as there just wasn't anything of interest in there any longer.

I miss what was there before it. The Guildhall itself I couldn't care less about.

I think I used it as a through route sometimes, and popped into The Works once like two years ago. Other than that I’ve only really been in there when I was on O2 and needed a new sim… so wasn’t even spending money really
 

Wormella

Well-Known Forumite
I've certainly looked at flats in structures like the guildhall with an internal 'street'. Done well it could be really nice living accommodation, especially if the gym stays, and it's very close to the train station.

I hope the shops in there relocate elsewhere in town.l, although if they don't we'll all just adapt by heading elsewhere to buy what we need. It's not like we're not surrounded by cities in very close proximity. 15mins to Wolves, 40 mins to Brum, 1hr to Manchester or Liverpool.

I do need new boots, and Clarks was on my hit list to look at if the perfect pair don't magically appear in TX Maxx, but I don't remember the last time I actually brought shoes from there.
 

The Notorious A.N.T.

Well-Known Forumite
Looks like there is a paradigm shift coming to Stafford High Street. Let's be honest, the Guildhall isn't viable in the current guise so why not try something different?. It will be interesting to see what retail presence is maintained. It is fine trying to fill it with restaurants (which incidently hasn't happened at the Riverside) but you still need other things to get the required footfall.
 

highguyuk

Well-Known Forumite
Stafford simply doesn't need both the Guildhall & the Riverside development.

There's no need for this to cause any job losses, there is plenty of other empty retail spaces the businesses within the Guildhall could move into...'cept in these times, the companies involved will probably cut their losses in Stafford.
 

The Notorious A.N.T.

Well-Known Forumite
Stafford simply doesn't need both the Guildhall & the Riverside development.

There's no need for this to cause any job losses, there is plenty of other empty retail spaces the businesses within the Guildhall could move into...'cept in these times, the companies involved will probably cut their losses in Stafford.
Yes, I imagine the Guildhall's new owners have offered the retailers the chance to end their leases early & the ones that are closing immediately (Clark's et al) couldn't believe their luck! As a company Clark's were struggling even before Covid came along. A few stores in there like The Entertainer etc. look busy & are likely to be doing OK. They will probably need a bit of financial persuasion to vacate before the leases are up.
 
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