Plans have been submitted for a major heritage project that will help restore Leicester’s Grand Hotel to its former glory. The Grade II listed building, in Granby Street in the city centre, is set to be repaired and restored as part of Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zones. Under the plans, the shopfronts that line the hotel would be reinstated as close to the building’s original design as possible, using a sustainable hardwood timber and toughened glass. A new retail unit on Belvoir Street would also be created. Recessed doorways and delivery entrances would be fitted with bespoke iron gates, and uniform signage would be introduced, in keeping with the building. There would also be improvements made to the hotel’s entrance, with cleaning and repairs made to the oriel windows and balcony. Specialists would look at the existing canopy above the entrance and determine whether it could be retained and restored. The project follows another successful grant for £750,000 secured from the High Street Heritage Action Zone programme in November, which will be used to fund vital repair works to the ISKON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) building on the corner of Granby Street and Bishop Street. This iconic Victorian building, designed by architect Joseph Goddard, will benefit from extensive roof repairs to protect its structure and remove it from the Buildings At Risk register. The work being carried out as part of the Heritage Action Zone, and the linked pedestrianisation works at the end of Granby Street, are part of the council’s efforts to revitalise the city centre and encourage more businesses to invest and people to visit, post-pandemic. A number of new business have set up recently along the street. Deputy city mayor Cllr Adam Clarke said: “The Grand Hotel and ISKON buildings are fine examples of Leicester’s Victorian past, and we have an important responsibility to preserve them for future generations to enjoy. “The Grand Hotel – now owned by the Mercure group – has always been considered one of Leicester’s most prestigious hotels, but today the ground floor is spoilt by poorly designed shop fronts, cheap modern materials and oversized signage. “In February 2020, thanks to the hard work of the council’s conservation team, Historic England announced that Leicester had been successful in securing £1.5m towards a High Street Heritage Action Zone scheme for the Granby Street and Church Gate conservation areas. “This means we have been able to support the hotel to get an expert conservation architect team, Conception Architects, to survey the building, and plans have now been submitted for changes that will highlight and enhance the building’s important and attractive historical features.” High Street Heritage Action Zones are areas up and down the country which have been singled out by Historic England for funding support. They encourage local councils, businesses, architects and contractors to work together to bid for funding which can be used to sympathetically restore historic buildings. In order to access the funding from Historic England, a grant application will be assessed in detail by a local grants panel – chaired by Cllr Clarke and made up of volunteers including architects and surveyors. The panel will check the quality of the design, experience of the contractors proposed, and value for money. If this is satisfactory, the grant will be approved and work can begin. Louise Brennan, regional director for the Midlands at Historic England, said: “This is a welcome step forward in the revitalising of this wonderful area of Leicester. The Grand Hotel is a prestigious building, and we are looking forward to supporting the repair and refurbishment of its street-facing ground floor. Hopefully, this will encourage more people, both tourists and local residents, to step inside to see its fantastic interior and become part of this historic building’s future.” The plans for the project will now be considered by the city council’s planning department. If granted planning permission, work on the project is likely to start in summer 2022.

Very initial ideas are being put forward for how regeneration could enhance a key entrance into Derby city centre. The Council plans to hold a stakeholder event in the near future for all local interested parties. The ‘northern gateway’ is the area bordered by Queen Street, King Street, Cathedral Road and the A601 St Alkmund’s Way, including Chapel Street, and is a link to the Cathedral Quarter. Currently much of the land in this area is owned by Derby City Council, including the building occupied by Deda, Queen’s Leisure Centre and Chapel Street multi-storey car park. It was decided earlier this year by Councillors to cease operating Queen’s Leisure Centre when the new Moorways Sports Village opens in the Spring. Chapel Street car park is one of the city car parks that will be included in an upcoming review of Council-owned car parking provision. This will re-assess the demand for and provision of car parking spaces across the city. This has offered the opportunity to review how this part of the city centre is used and to consider whether some redevelopment could make the area a more vibrant entry point into the city centre. Meanwhile the Council is working with Deda to look at renewing their lease on a long term basis, which would give them a more secure basis for applying for ongoing arts sector funding. It would also help Deda realise their vision to secure funding to make their building in Chapel Street more environmentally friendly. Their current lease will soon be due for renewal. The Council has commissioned Lathams architects to look at options for the northern gateway area, which will be outlined for the first time at a Finance, Assets and Digital Cabinet Member Meeting on 14 March. All the options assume that residents, The Bless, The Flowerpot public house and Deda will be retained, with increased vibrancy in this part of the city centre likely to be around increased student accommodation and activity. The first option considers more student accommodation in the area, on the site of the current Chapel Street car park and Queen’s Leisure Centre, with new public green space and squares. The second option also focuses on the housing provision for students, whilst also including new housing with residents’ parking along with the new public realm. The third option suggests temporary uses for Derby City Council’s main areas of land, with artist studios and co-working space on the site of Chapel Street car park, and a temporary event venue on the site of Queen’s Leisure Centre. A comprehensive scheme which looks at all the options for regeneration in the area is considered as the best way forward. The Council has recently appointed Avison Young as professional property advisers and there is now an opportunity for them to review the entire site, looking at existing restrictions, conservation issues and current land ownership to consider what is most appropriate for the city and the best way to deliver it. Councillor Jonathan Smale, Cabinet Member for Finance, Assets and Digital, said: “We are at the very start of looking at how we can enhance this key gateway into the city centre, which will make the most of the cultural attractions that we already have to offer and to make it a more vibrant area to live in, and walk through.”

Connect Derby, the city’s leading managed workspace provider, has published the results of its 2022 business community survey – and the statistics highlight the valuable role Connect Derby has played in helping tenants recover from the impact of the pandemic. The annual survey measures the levels of service Connect Derby provides across all areas of its operation – from the quality of its workspaces and IT services to security and operational communication. This year, the survey focused heavily on how Connect Derby has helped its 200 plus tenants get back on their feet again as they return to the office following the various local and national lockdowns in 2021. Connect Derby received an 82% response rate from office tenants surveyed across the seven diverse buildings in its portfolio – Friar Gate Studios, Kings Chambers, Sadler Bridge Studios, Marble Hall, Riverside Chambers, Shot Tower and the iHub innovation centre on Infinity Park. A massive 97% of respondents said Connect Derby meets or exceeds their expectations for the support it provides, an increase of 7% from last year. 96% of tenants reported that communications from the management team met or exceeded their expectations, an increase of 2% from last year. The management team maintained communication with tenants to provide support and guidance throughout the lockdowns and restrictions of 2021, assisting them with applications for Covid grants and loans, addressing queries and helping them stay open for business. Connect Derby staff also regularly checked on the health and wellbeing of tenants. 95% of tenants said Connect Derby meets or exceeds their expectations, with 91% saying they would recommend Connect Derby to other businesses looking for managed workspace in the city. Connect Derby has been supporting tenants return to the office by introducing new, flexible ways of working. In May 2021, furnished offices were introduced at flagship building, Friar Gate Studios in response to the changing working environment brought on by the pandemic. Offices reached 89% occupancy in less than two months. 92% of respondents said Connect Derby workspaces were clean, safe, and secure buildings to work in. Last year a bespoke COVID-19 induction programme was devised and implemented across all buildings. Connect Derby has continued to operate with some Covid measures in place such as hand-sanitising stations and social distancing signage.